On "Being Smart"

So I'm reading this article that's ostensibly about Andrew Mason leaving as CEO of Groupon and the lead quote jumped out at me :

What we’re finding is that 'being smart' isn’t really a job qualification."

And again, further on in the article :

Most of us millennials... kind of grew up thinking we were more “idea guys.” Remember that IBM commercial where people were lying on the floor in a server room “ideating”? That’s us. Ideas, man. Big ideas. That implementation bullsh*t? Not so much.

Mind. Blown.

Which brings us to the present. Right now I find myself in Germany (in a small town called Hildesheim to be precise) and further away from familiar settings than I have been in a long while. Lemme say that nothing lets you know the exact extent of your capabilities than not being able to do simple, basic, everyday stuff for yourself. Like being worried about accidentally destroying your (limited stock of) thermal wear by running the wrong washing machine program, or repeatedly burning rice even in an allegedly idiot-proof rice cooker.

Side bar : Don't believe the various YouTube videos btw... maybe it's just with Basmati rice, but rice to water ratio is 1:3 in a rice cooker, not 1:1. Also, with a little help from the neighbour, my clothes are now sparkly fresh once more. Booyeah!

*Cue 'I get by with a little help from my friends' *

A couple of years ago at my parents' 25th anniversary I gave a little speech and, among other things, remarked that one of the greatest privileges I owe my folks is the space they provided me in which to think and explore and learn and grow as an individual. And even though I'd decided then that it was time to stop "Ideating" and start actually doing stuff, the past year has continued to have a certain comfortableness to it. So the gradual route having not worked, hopefully my time here in Germany will be enough of a stint over at the deep end of the pool.

There's a bunch of things I'd like to get done while I'm here. For starters I'd like to attain some kind of basic German conversational ability. I'd also like to atleast get a start on some of the several projects I've had in the pipeline since forever. Overall I'd just like to soak up as much of Europe as possible while I'm here and just get a little practice looking after myself. At the very least I'll finally be able to say I can cook up something more than just eggs.

On an unrelated note, I'm washing the dishes the other day (this being before someone explained the dishwasher) when suddenly "Can't go back" by The Weepies starts playing. Tell me that's not some crazy coincidence...

The Weepies - Can't Go Back Now from nettwerkmusic on Vimeo.

Anyway, here's to an exciting few months. I hope to check in regularly with updates so that similarly afflicted armchair philosophers can take heart. But now, some dinner I think... *digs in to omlette*