Who Else I Might Have Been and Could Still Be?

I could still be whoever else I might have been.

I remember telling my sixth grade teacher, Mr. Mulligan, that I loved music and computers, and that when I grew up, I wanted to do both. Mr. Mulligan's response was, "John, you can be whatever your heart desires!" That really made my day and I live by that everyday.

I could have been a musician because I remember being good at it - I entered grade 11 strings in grade 9 playing the double bass, and played in the all-city orchestra for four years. But, the call of technology was just too great at the time and I followed that half of my then dream. Today, I find myself contemplating piano lessons at the Royal Conservatory of Music.

The phrase, "I could still be whoever else I might have been" does not mean I could still be anyone (although I'm sure I could be a fraction of anyone if I put my mind to it). To me, it means I could still be anyone I aspired being but have not become. That aspiration often stemmed from childhood but does not have to be.

Before becoming a realtor in 2001, I dabbled in real estate as a user and investor of real estate. Dabbling is a word I equate to hacking in the technology world. I hacked at real estate. I aspired to be a realtor but hummed and hawed until I decided one day to just do it and registered for the first course and then the next and the next. I've now been practicing for five years and loving it. However, I find myself hacking at the law. I'm very knowledgeable in real estate law, but it's far from the knowledge a lawyer would have. I'm humming and hawing...

I have dreamed all my life of at least being able to read Chinese (to write would be a bonus) and to speak Mandarin. I have to admit, I have not had the will-power to take that first step towards this daunting task. This fall I will register for a Mandarin class at the University of Toronto.

I am very blessed and extremely grateful to have a wife who cooks for me. I thank her after every meal, but wouldn't it be great if I could cook a decent meal for her, for once? This desire is hampered by the fact that she won't let me in the kitchen (probably because I'm such a terrible cook). That cooking certificate at George Brown College looks tempting...

Then, there's that book I aspire to write...

Can I go back and wish for more hours in a day?!!

For more vibrant thoughts on this subject, visit Sunday Scribblings.

"My Dad Is Stronger Than Your Dad"

Watching the tragic situation between Israel and Hezbollah reminds me of primary school days in the 80's. In the playground, I occasionally witnessed exchanges between kids about how each's father is stronger or better in some way than the other's father, or variations thereof, escalating until both fathers gain superduper-indestructible-godlike-hero status. I guess the big difference is that after a few of these exchanges, one or both of the kids would end up saying "whatever!" and go back to playing tag or catch or whatever they were playing together (ok, ok, I have to admit, sometimes bunches were thrown). A similar conversation between Israel and Hezbollah in the playground called Lebanon today might be something like this: Hezbollah: Oh yah, if you take my people, I'm going to take your soldiers! Israel: Oh Yah! Well, I'm going to bomb you till you can't take my people anymore! Hezbollah: Oh YAH! Go ahead and try. I'm going to bomb you back!! Israel: OH YAH!! I don't care. I have bigger and more bombs than you!! Hezbollah: OH YAH!!! I'm going to bring my friends and then watch out, you bully!!! Israel: No, you are the bully - you started first!!!! Hezbollah: No! You started first!!!! Israel: NO! You did!!!!! Hezbollah: NO!! You did!!!! Israel: You!! Hezbollah: You!! Israel and Hezbollah at the same time: NO, YOU!!!! Kaboom!!!