I’ve always been very fond of people who can think. If there’s one thing out there that really brings out my jealous side, it’s someone who can out think me. I pride myself on tearing things apart and then putting them back together and by doing that, I get to know things pretty well.
I had to make a visit to the car dealer today for my 30,000 mile vehicle maintenance. This is the second scheduled oil change my car has gotten since 2008. Can you believe that? Typically, BMWs need their oil changed every 15,000 miles. Since my car has 30,000 miles on it and I haven’t seen the dealer since April of 2010, I felt it was time. Besides, the little light on the dashboard wasn’t going to go away any time soon.
Listen to this…as the guy is handing me some papers to initial before work begins, he informs me of what they are going to do. It’s all very clear because the “key” tells them. He says the vehicle needs a “standard scope” (whatever that is), an air filter, a cabin filter, brake fluid flush, etc… Strange, because no where in there did I hear “oil change.”
I said, “You’re going to do the oil too, right?” He replied, “Actually, you still have about 3,100 miles left on this oil.” The computer calculates the driving conditions, mileage, temperature and all that. I looked at him in disbelief and said, “Listen, you guys are going to do the oil. I haven’t been here in a year and a half and this thing needs an oil change.” He gave me the oil change. One of the more pleasant characteristics one develops with age is the respect one can command by looking a person in the eye and telling them what they are going to do.
On a side note, I asked what this would cost me if it wasn’t included in the 4 year, 50,000 included maintenance deal. He said about $600. Word of advice – consider the Honda.
As I was driving to the dealer, I was having a conversation with one of my very close friends. I only have a few of them and this particular one is probably my best. He seems to drag the more philosophical ideas out of my brain – not quite sure how, but he does. During this conversation, he asked something like, “Well, what do you want to do with your life?” I replied, “Walk ten thousand miles, read ten thousand books.” Now mind you, I wasn’t speaking metaphorically, that’s what I want to do.
Now, my friend didn’t know what to make of this. He kind of paused for a while and said, “Yeah, my girlfriend has a bunch of books she wants me to read…” and then I lost the call. He was working on top of a mountain and there’s poor cell phone signal there. It’s just as well because I’m not sure I wanted to get into that conversation with him just yet. I have a feeling it would need a lot of explaining.
Thinking is a lonely sport. That’s why I like it so much. It doesn’t require anyone else’s help. There’s no collaboration. There’s no goal. It just is. When you can finally grasp the fact that there’s nothing to do with it, you realize what you’re actually doing.
Every so often, when I discover someone who completely blows me out of the water, I sit back in awe. As for anyone else out there who recognizes the same brilliance of that someone – well, they sit back as well. Now, I’m not talking about a person who has prepared remarks and then delivers them. I’m talking about some who is just better than I am.
Check this out.
How Drugs Helped Invent the Internet & The Singularity: Jason Silva on “Turning Into Gods”
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