Not me. Have all the time I need but I don't want to waste it . . . . any more than I do and certainly not on this topic.

 

The late, great philosopher, George Carlin once said something to the effect: "Think about how dumb the average American is. Then reflect on the fact that half of all Americans are dumber than that."

 

NOPE, to the dope. Although, I sometimes feel like the latter.

At the risk of sounding "smug" over the years people have often commented on my breath of knowledge on a wide variety of subjects. I believe in life long learning and that there is no better way to keep your "gray in the pink". I do try to learn something new everyday.

Now that I am unemployed and have not had any promising opportunities, perhaps based on the fact that I am Vintage plus a score. I have had time to reflect on my life and skills. I have a broad base of skill sets, from running a very profitable multimillion dollar department of a business to a successful sales career with my highest single sale coming in at just under one million dollars back in 1984, when I was the National Sales Manager for the Motor Sports Division of Bell Helmets. Over the past decade an a half, I became an expert in a niche technology in Secure Communications, which was perhaps my career downfall. I knew a whole lot about a waning technology and unfortunately could not make it to retirement age before my employer decided to pull the plug (prematurely IMO) and get out of the market. In short, I am a "jack of all trades and a master of none" in many ways.

 

This reminds me of the AAA survey in which 86% of all American drivers considered themselves above average drivers.

 

Now that's something I sometimes think about. I believe I have met the majority of those who are "dumber than that."

 

On a more serious note.....

I can't think of anything that I wish I did not know. However, I wish a lot of things I do know were not true. At the top of that list is the arrogance of the human race and the absolutely awful ways humans have treated each other throughout history.

I would like to know when, how and especially why the ...let's call it the universe, cosmos, whatever...all started [No religion based explanations, please ].

 

In the beginning.............Higgs Bolsun created the heavens and the earth. Haven't you been keeping up with the news?






fltsfshr

 

^ Too bad my dad isn't still alive...the origin of the universe was one of his fave topics of research/conversation, especially the Big Bang. His conclusions were not based on religion. He would have loved to have a conversation with you.

 

Matt, I think perhaps you are experiencing what many experience when at a point in life one is forced to reconsider career choices, whether through retirement, under-employment, unemployment through job loss, or whatever. When your time has become your own and you are no longer under the control of a 9 to 5 or whatever, you are then faced with the question of what to do with the remainder of your life. It is good at that time if you can afford to not work for a while, to consider volunteering your time in a worthwhile (to you) cause. I remember you mentioned you've volunteered at the National Cemetery and that is wonderful. However, you may wish to think of something in a teaching area, perhaps mentoring people (young or old) with reading difficulties or some-such. You do have a lot of knowledge and it would be fabulous to share this with those who have learning problems, or have not had an opportunity to learn due to poverty, poor home environment or whatever. These volunteer organizations quite often lead to a new outlook on where you may want to expand your own horizons and can lead to new career opportunities. I remember having these feelings and questioning a lot of things when I retired early. I took a boatload of classes in just about everything you can think of and volunteered for various organizations. One of those was cooking and serving meals at a local soup kitchen. I then learned how much I enjoyed cooking and now cooking is a bit of a favorite hobby (and one that I have learned can increase one's girth) .

 

And just when was this Higgs Boson created and how and why ?

In 1954 I got, from my parents for my birthday, the newly published book "Design of the Universe: The Heavens and the Earth" by Fritz Kahn. I still have it...old, beat up and out of date as it is. It was that book that once and for all set the hook in me on this subject.