Jonathan Jiang

Last night I watched the movie ‘21′ about a group of MIT students who learn to count cards under the guidance of one of their professors. They live a glamorous lifestyle in Vegas while leading seemingly ordinary lives back in Boston. For some reason as I walked out of the theater and took the metro home, I got to thinking about what’s important in life. Maybe it’s because part of me wishes that I had unlimited amounts of money to throw around and live the high roller lifestyle of limos and penthouse suites, rooftop parties and such. I don’t think I will ever have enough money in my lifetime to live that way. When I look at where my life is leading now, I can see that I will end up as a middle class worker with a suburban house, a wife, two cars, a few kids and dogs, 9-5 job, and small hobbies on the weekend. We’ll go on a few vacations throughout the year to exotic places perhaps but other than that, I’ll live a pretty normal, unremarkable life.

I don’t see anything wrong with that life actually. I value family and I look forward to raising a family and taking care of them. I look at my parents and their parents, and though no one is perfect, family has always been a priority. But when I think about how that life will be, I still think that although I won’t be partying or buying luxurious things all the time, I’ll have a good amount of wealth to be able to use for my family.

Another thing is that the main character in the movie was actually based off of a real life person who was Asian, and he talks about how he was raised and grew up working hard at school and giving up life experiences in favor of studying and building a resume to get into Harvard Medical school. It seemed that up until he started counting cards, he also lived an unremarkable life with his nose to the ground, grinding away at life. I can’t say that I’ve been so strict with my life and I haven’t passed up life completely in favor of school or work or doing the things that I think I’m supposed to be doing, but I understand the feeling of living a bland life.

I feel like such an adult.

I remember when life wasn’t so serious, where it didn’t matter if you broke the rules or screwed up so bad that it was funny. I’m almost proud to say that I’ve been arrested for doing something stupid once in my life. I wish I could be so carefree again. Sometimes I think that I’m not because I’ve chosen to surround myself with other adults or sensible people. But I can’t blame that. The real reason I must confess is that I myself have become bland and boring with my life.

Let me list the things that make my life like everyone else:

• I have a 9-5 job as an IT Consultant in Northern Virginia
• I have a gym membership that I go to workout in maybe once a week
• I live barely 50 miles away from where I was born
• I drink coffee from Starbucks, and I sometimes sit in Starbucks and drink it
• Sometimes I bring my laptop to a coffee house and surf the net there while drinking coffee
• I used to go to trendy ‘hotspots’ for drinks or clubbing or food, so much so that I used to know all the right people to get into anywhere without a cover (Thankfully I’ve stopped)
• I shop at Harris Teeter (which has good quality stuff, but it’s more expensive, which means I’ve become more expensive)

Now let me try to remind myself of the things that make me different:

• I ride a motorcycle and I’m in the process of training to become a motorcycle instructor
• I used to play guitar and perform (sortof)(I wonder if this still counts because I don’t play at all these days, although I haven’t forgotten how to)
• I’ve performed with a somewhat famous musician in front of a college crowd
• I have a blog (although everyone these days has a blog)
• I bike a lot (although lots of people bike)
• I feel like I’m well traveled (I’ve been to Netherlands, France, England, Belgium, Japan, Taiwan)
• I’ve crossed the US by car (though some may think this is unremarkable as well)

I wish I had more to say about the unique things about my life. I used to live with the attitude that I’d accept whatever opportunities life threw my way. I would resist the urge to say no and just go with whatever or wherever the life took me. That attitude led me to a lot of great experiences in my life. I think these days I should try to adopt that mentality again, but with a twist. Instead of just seeing what life gives me, I should try to pursue the things in life that excite me. I always feel bad about not playing guitar anymore, but I used to love it, and I used to be obsessed with it. I need to be like that again with something.

But what?