I dont feel like being great at anything

[Pengwuino]

Ya know... something that always kinda pisses me off is the fact that it seems like you can't really be 'one of the best' in anything anymore. Why is that? Because people are freaks. Seriously, for everything there is to do out there, there's some person willing to devote every waking second to that one thing no matter how insignificant it is. Thanks to them, you, being a normal human being, don't stand a chance. It's as if these people fully believe their sole purpose (or don't realize they're wasting away) in life is to do one stupid thing every waking hour and be the best at something. You may think you're good at... pinball... but there's probably quite a few people playing 15 hours a day, 365 for the past 40 years capable of beating you.

I don't know what's more depressing, the fact that you just can't win or the fact that people actually will consciously devote their lives to things as insignificant as being the worlds greatest yo-yo trick whatever person. Or yomamma.

Comment on how annoying freaks are.

 

[wolram]

Ya know... something that always kinda pisses me off is the fact that it seems like you can't really be 'one of the best' in anything anymore. Why is that? Because people are freaks. Seriously, for everything there is to do out there, there's some person willing to devote every waking second to that one thing no matter how insignificant it is. Thanks to them, you, being a normal human being, don't stand a chance. It's as if these people fully believe their sole purpose (or don't realize they're wasting away) in life is to do one stupid thing every waking hour and be the best at something. You may think you're good at... pinball... but there's probably quite a few people playing 15 hours a day, 365 for the past 40 years capable of beating you.

I don't know what's more depressing, the fact that you just can't win or the fact that people actually will consciously devote their lives to things as insignificant as being the worlds greatest yo-yo trick whatever person. Or yomamma.

Comment on how annoying freaks are.

If you are not the greatest you are pond scum, get used to it, but that is only to (thier) estimation, (they) are no better than you.

 

[JasonRox]

Ya know... something that always kinda pisses me off is the fact that it seems like you can't really be 'one of the best' in anything anymore. Why is that? Because people are freaks. Seriously, for everything there is to do out there, there's some person willing to devote every waking second to that one thing no matter how insignificant it is. Thanks to them, you, being a normal human being, don't stand a chance. It's as if these people fully believe their sole purpose (or don't realize they're wasting away) in life is to do one stupid thing every waking hour and be the best at something. You may think you're good at... pinball... but there's probably quite a few people playing 15 hours a day, 365 for the past 40 years capable of beating you.

I don't know what's more depressing, the fact that you just can't win or the fact that people actually will consciously devote their lives to things as insignificant as being the worlds greatest yo-yo trick whatever person. Or yomamma.

Comment on how annoying freaks are.

No one spends that much time playing Pinball, especially not for 40 years. Maybe for a week, but who cares really.

Some people have natural talents.

No one spends every waking second on one possible thing.

No one devotes their life to yo-yo tricks. Things like this is sometimes simple practice of 30-60 minutes a day.

Who's to judge what one must do?

You are blowing this WAY out of proportion. Because you hate (which is stupid) people that are awesome at stuff, you downplay them and say they are wasting their lives on insignificant things just to make yourself feel better. Honestly, it's people like this who make me sick, but then they don't really bother me because they just tend to dig themselves in a bigger and bigger hole of garbage and I don't like looking in that hole of garbage.

Stop whining.

Personally, when I see people do amazing things that I know takes years of practice, my jaw just drops because it takes pure dedication. I know for a fact they DON'T spend every waking second doing it. Maybe 60 minutes a day TOPS with a day or two off a week. Lots of those people have lives, like family, jobs, other hobbies, and also like to hang out with friends, etc...!

 

[Pengwuino]

30-60 minutes a day? You wish, Canada must be full of some mediocre people.

 

[wolram]

30-60 minutes a day? You wish, Canada must be full of some mediocre people.

Get real, if you wanted nothing more than to pull your plonker for 24 a day
where would it get you.

 

[Pengwuino]

Get real, if you wanted nothing more than to pull your plonker for 24 a day
where would it get you.

Yah i guess most people don't want to play with balls for so many hours a day.

 

[JasonRox]

30-60 minutes a day? You wish, Canada must be full of some mediocre people.

Um... YEAH!

Have you ever tried doing something 60 minutes a day and seeing where it leads?

I know some people who go out to play pool once a week and that's it. After a few years, they are just really good. It's like... wow. Only once a week!

Of course, some people spend more time on things like hockey and so on. But then their income depends on it, but don't wrongly assume they have no life. Downplaying people just puts you deeper in the hole of garbage.

Note: The garbage is usually depression and low self-esteem... and so on. I'm surprised I'm even wasting my time on this thread because I never waste time with people who have this attitude. If I do, it's only for a little to try and change the perspective to a better one.

Like honestly, you talk about people with no lives and yet you spend a lot of time on here PF, which is more insignificant to like going outside playing basketball and what not.

Note: PF becomes insignificant when the time spent on here is excessive. I hope you understand what I mean. Yeah, we have PF days sometimes too, but that's fine. Lots of people on here have fantastic lives outside of PF, which is why people always ask and treasure advice on here because there is so much wisdom to be shared and that can only be acquired through good living.

 

[Pengwuino]

haha... me depressed? Me low self-esteem? Do you even read the Pengwuino times?

I think you're a little too insecure to be understanding the Penguin.

I'm not even talking about the people who play pool for a week and are good or people whos income depends on it. I am specifically talking about people who practice non-sensicle things to become the 'greatest' at it and they practice for many many hours a day. They think its fun! And then one must think "yah its fun... but how can someones life revolve around something so meaningless". Actually why am i arguing with you? You're just rambling on about nothing (until of course, you can tell me how one becomes the 'greatest' at PF... although I am a pretty snazzy PFer, i got mad skills).

 

[Astronuc]

I just settle for being good or satisfactory or adquate.

 

[Math Is Hard]

Pengwuino makes the world's best deep-fried powdered sugar cheese sticks.

 

[Pengwuino]

Pengwuino makes the world's best deep-fried powdered sugar cheese sticks.

You mean the worlds best shallow-fried powdered sugar cheese sticks.

 

[Pengwuino]

I just settle for being good or satisfactory or adquate.

shut up God.

 

[turbo]

Why obsess about being the best at anything? If you can do something well, great. If not, maybe your talents lie elsewhere or you need to develop better skills. Do what you like, and try to learn as you go - you'll get pretty darned good at it. I have been playing guitar for over 40 years, and played professionally for a time, and every time I pick up a guitar, I learn a little something, if only reinforcing basic skills. I have a friend who people around here consider a guitar "god" and he often asks me for tips on how to throw double note bends into a blues solo, and other techniques that are part of my style. Don't try to be "the best" by using someone else's performance as a yardstick.

Example: Who is the best guitarist in this list?
Chet Atkins
BB King
Mark Knopfler
Eric Clapton
Buddy Guy
Vince Gill
Jimmy Page

There is no answer. They are all incredibly good at what THEY do, so apart from matters of taste, such a comparison is fruitless. BTW, since they are playing what they want to play, they have developed styles so distinctive that I can identify them from listening to a few seconds of their playing. Style doesn't come from mindless practice - it comes intuition, experience, inspiration, and the ability to make lemonade out of life's lemons.

 

[Pengwuino]

BB King

And actually i think that's the sole way of deciding if you're the best... by measuring up to someone else's performance. And really, this is less of a 'damn i wanan be the best' rant then it is a 'how can these other people waste their lives on such meaningless things'.

 

[berkeman]

I know I'm not the best in the world or country at anything in particular, but I strive to be very good in several things at the same time. Get good in three or four challenging things, and feel good about your cross-section achievement. Like in high school, I felt great about getting the "Scholar Athlete" award. That's a great combination. Yeah, I was only salutatorian of my senior class, but #1 and #3 weren't standout athletes.

Work at improving and getting good at a couple of different things, Penguino. The world champ at Yo-Yo tricks probably doesn't know squat about QM.

 

[Pengwuino]

yah but my point is... what the hell does yo-yo do for you in life. I just don't really understand people who do seemingly meaningless things as an obsession... Maybe I'm getting too philisophical about this. What is meaningless? What is meaningful? What is yomamma?

 

[edward]

yah but my point is... what the hell does yo-yo do for you in life. I just don't really understand people who do seemingly meaningless things as an obsession... Maybe I'm getting too philisophical about this. What is meaningless? What is meaningful? What is yomamma?

I feel your pain man. Like beauty, whether a skill skill is meaningless or not ,seems to be in the eye of the beholder. Here is a link to an expertise, that you might want to consider.
http://www.ifoce.com/contests.php

And these guys always seem to get their names in the news papers.

 

[berkeman]

I feel your pain man. Like beauty, whether a skill skill is meaningless or not ,seems to be in the eye of the beholder. Here is a link to an expertise, that you might want to consider.
http://www.ifoce.com/contests.php

And these guys always seem to get their names in the news papers.

OMG. From the "Records" page:

International Federation of Competitive Eating -- Records

Armour Vienna Sausage
8.31 pounds Armour Vienna Sausage /Lowe's Motor Speedway Charlotte
10 Minutes/ May 28, 2005
Sonya Thomas

Asparagus
6.25 pounds Tempura Deep Fried Aspargus Spears/ Stockton Asparagus Fest
10 minutes/ Apr. 22, 2006
Joey Chestnut

Baked Beans
Six Pounds Baked Beans
One Minute, 48 Seconds
Don Lerman

Baked Beans, Long Course
8.4 Pounds Baked Beans/ 84 Lumber
2 minutes 47 seconds/ Aug. 7, 2004
Sonya Thomas

Beef Tongue
3 pound 3 ounces pickled beef tongue whole
12 minutes
Dominic Cardo

Birthday Cake
Five Pounds/ TripRewards 1st Birthday
11 Minutes, 26 Seconds/ May 10, 2005
Richard LeFevre

Bologna
2.76 Pounds Pork & Chicken Bologna
Six Minutes
Don Lerman

*
*
*

 

[slugcountry]

Let me relate a quick story.

About a year ago, I met a girl who took me out to a salsa club for the first time. I liked it, alot. So much in fact that once a week quickly became twice a week.

I was having so much fun that I joined a training team and for 3 months we were dancing 6 days a week for a few hours every day. This was not work, we were dancing, and having a great time.

Today I teach private lessons, and until recently was also teaching group lessons in a few clubs around the bay, as well as doing shows here and there for exposure and money on the side.

It is not difficult to become good at something if you enjoy doing it.

Nor is it "meaningless," so long as it has meaning for you.

 

[Azael]

yah but my point is... what the hell does yo-yo do for you in life. I just don't really understand people who do seemingly meaningless things as an obsession... Maybe I'm getting too philisophical about this. What is meaningless? What is meaningful? What is yomamma?

Well it surely isn't any worse than the uncountable number of teens and twenty somethings that spend hours and hours each day playing counterstrike or diablo ect. Or the countless of people chasing a ball for hours every week. Sure it might bring them some money if they are truly gifted but that's about it.

Aslong as its fun it isn't a waste. Time is to precious to spend it on boring things ;)

 

[Pengwuino]

Milwaukee Harley Davidson Brat-Eating Contest

Finally! We're getting rid of these little bastards!

 

[shmoe]

30-60 minutes a day? You wish, Canada must be full of some mediocre people.

Canada is filled with mediocre people. It's depressing, I have less than 4 hours a week to devote to mediocrity and some joker who can afford to practice 7-8 hours a day comes along and underperforms me every time. I just don't have the time to get any worse.

 

[J77]

Ambition's a bad thing.

The whole world just needs to chill a bit

 

[3trQN]

Ambition is Critical.. - Dylan Thomas

 

[J77]

Ambition would definitely be on Yoda's list of things which lead to the Dark-side

 

[slugcountry]

you can't be serious

 

[3trQN]

Ambition would definitely be on Yoda's list of things which lead to the Dark-side

pfft Emperor Palpatine > Yoda

 

[Ivan Seeking]

I don't know what's more depressing, the fact that you just can't win or the fact that people actually will consciously devote their lives to things as insignificant as being the worlds greatest yo-yo trick whatever person.

Why does it matter? Did you want to be the world's greatest yo-yoer.

What you seem to be so disgusted by is other people's passions. Why do you care how person X spends their time?

 

[Pengwuino]

Why does it matter? Did you want to be the world's greatest yo-yoer.

What you seem to be so disgusted by is other people's passions. Why do you care how person X spends their time?

Too many people that could be doing so many helpful things... instead they're yo-yoing or taking cheap shots at penguins . Go to your local online gaming computer joint... damn i forget what they're called... where people just go and play computer games at these storefronts. Well, whatever they're called, go to one and stick around and tell me there's not something wrong there...

For all the complaining people do about how bad a shape the worlds in...

 

[wolram]

For all the complaining people do about how bad a shape the worlds in...

The world has never been in better shape, i guess you could regress to
the middle ages and suffer the local landlord pinching all you money, or hanging you feet first over a smoking fire to make you give it him, heck you can even go poaching now and not get hung if you are caught.