The Problem With Perfection
Well I guess the problem with perfection is that everybody knows that nobody/nothing can acheive it. People are always looking for the perfect diet/happiness/job/vacation/friend/relationship. Parents also have the nasty habit of trying to create the perfect child. I don't think it usually works because the most intensely managed kids seem to end up with weight/drinking problems, hating their parents, and either not living up to their 'full potential' or just having a 'full potential' that is embarassingly low and therefore not recognized. Normally I would be able to say that surfing is the solution to this problem (just like I say it is to all other issues) but surfers spend a lot of time looking/hoping for the perfect wave.
I would like to think that I'm avoiding the quest for perfection, but if I am, which I'm probably not, it's mostly due to luck. I'm smart enough to know that diets don't work though admittedly I have forgotten that and put myself on them before and probably will again. I have decided I can settle for good enough happiness without letting the quest for perfection spoil it, I am currently unemployed and okay with that but when I do have to look for jobs I think it will mostly relate to stuff that is ecology oriented and close to the ocean, I don't expect perfect vacations for the same reason as I don't expect perfect happiness, same as for friends. Relationships are a little more complicated though. I seem to have put myself as constantly on the hunt (which is unfortunately not the same a making a lot of 'kills' or 'captures' or whatever if I'm continuing the hunting metaphor) and this usually results in too much embarassment for me and the people who I'm sure are also embarassed for me. This also puts way to much energy I could use for something else (probably surfing) into marchharebrained plans for seducing every male between the ages of 17 and 24.
Well enough about my lustlife, because there really isn't one. I do remember when I was a freshmen in highschool some girls took to wearing message shirts that said "PERFECT" on them. (This was before the Hot Topic pseudorevolution when all self-respecting message shirts would start reading angsty things on them). I never liked those shirts because they were obviously not true.
Of course the quest for perfection isn't always bad. It has led to some of the best human acheivements along with the worst and the quest for the perfect wave has led to some decent surf trips.
I would like to think that I'm avoiding the quest for perfection, but if I am, which I'm probably not, it's mostly due to luck. I'm smart enough to know that diets don't work though admittedly I have forgotten that and put myself on them before and probably will again. I have decided I can settle for good enough happiness without letting the quest for perfection spoil it, I am currently unemployed and okay with that but when I do have to look for jobs I think it will mostly relate to stuff that is ecology oriented and close to the ocean, I don't expect perfect vacations for the same reason as I don't expect perfect happiness, same as for friends. Relationships are a little more complicated though. I seem to have put myself as constantly on the hunt (which is unfortunately not the same a making a lot of 'kills' or 'captures' or whatever if I'm continuing the hunting metaphor) and this usually results in too much embarassment for me and the people who I'm sure are also embarassed for me. This also puts way to much energy I could use for something else (probably surfing) into marchharebrained plans for seducing every male between the ages of 17 and 24.
Well enough about my lustlife, because there really isn't one. I do remember when I was a freshmen in highschool some girls took to wearing message shirts that said "PERFECT" on them. (This was before the Hot Topic pseudorevolution when all self-respecting message shirts would start reading angsty things on them). I never liked those shirts because they were obviously not true.
Of course the quest for perfection isn't always bad. It has led to some of the best human acheivements along with the worst and the quest for the perfect wave has led to some decent surf trips.