There is a podcast that I am a huge fan of, it is called People I mostly admire. On the podcast I think it is episode 4 the host Steven Levitt interviews Ken Jennings. Ken Jennings of course talks about his jeopardy success and also his love for trivia, games and learning. One thing that jumped out at me was when Ken Jennings said the the secret to learning and knowing so much was interest.

“Like the people you see on Jeopardy tonight don’t have photographic memories. That’s not a real thing. They’re just interested in like ten times the things you are. And so more facts stick.” — Ken Jennings

It is easy to say that people know more than me because of this photographic memory but see Ken was right. According to the Scientific American there is no evidence for a photographic memory. Sorry it is not that easy if you want to know and learn something you will need to find a way to do it, no shortcuts.

I was often asked in school what I was interested in. What do you want to major in? What will your focus be? Do you like science more than math or are you a fan of the arts? Problem for me was that I loved all of it. I love history, art, science, math, and social studies. Life was and still is for me very very interesting.

When I was young me and my sisters told my mom that we were bored and my mom told us that there was no such thing as being bored only boring people. Man I hated that. How dare she call me and my sisters bored. I hated that comment but, it made me really start to look around and find ways not to be bored and learn as much as I could about everything. As a kid I learned how and why microwaves worked, why bullets moved the way they did when fired, what makes a rocket move, what are different types of art and when they were popular. my grandmother would buy me encyclopedias (yes I am that old) and I would devour them. Here I could see pictures and words describing places I’ve never been before, science I’ve never heard of. It took me forever to understand what my mom meant when she told me and my sister that there was no such thing as being bored, then I saw this skit from Louis CK. I understand that the comedian was canceled and i in no way would support what he did to get canceled but this skit in his show really hits the nail on the head with regards to the impossibility of being bored.

The world and you yourself is truly endless and interesting. Instead of being bored be an explorer look inward outward and appreciate the vastness, beauty and ugly of everything.

peace

john3c