Inspiration of CommonSensei:Â
The Blunder Years đ€Šïž
If I only knew then, what I know nowâŠ
Oh how I vividly remember my father shaking his head, muttering variations of those very words. Although heâs widely accomplished, he spoke with a sincere revelation that only the school of hard knocks can reveal. That expression echoes the walls of self-admitted adults around the world: some may be in debt, others in legal trouble, many experiencing poor health and all wishing for a make believe âdo overâđ. Itâs a timeworn admission of guilt, that quite frankly we didnât âknow it allâ during our âblunder yearsâ (ages 16-24 give or take). That âwoulda-coulda-shouldaâ phrase resonates with individuals of all walks of life from the ĂŒber successful to chronically depressed, from moms and dads to single folks. Be it doctors or critically ill, teachers or students, construction workers or architects, police officers or criminals (you get the idea); all have fallen prey to inexperience. No matter your social status or occupation, one thing is certain, everyone fantasizes of being able to go back in time equipped with the âknowledgeâ they have now.
Kickinâ FlicksđŹ: No Oscar winners in this group, but hereâs a fun list of famous flicks about going back in time. Choose one movie to get in the mood. Editorâs choice: Back to the Future is 1.21 gigawatts of fun.
Sensei Saysđ„: âWattâ is a measure of powerđ. There are 1 billion watts in 1 GW. The Watt was actually named after Scottish inventor James Watt who also coined âhorsepower,â valuable info if youâre ever on Jeopardy!
Blunder Years Kickinâ Flicks
- The Terminator (1984)
- Back to the Future (1985)
- Bill & Tedâs Excellent Adventure (1989)
- Groundhog Day (1993)
- 13 Going on 30 (2004)
- 17 Again (2009)
- Hot Tub Time Machine (2010)
- Looper (2012)
Sir Francis Bacon said, âKnowledge is power,â but Iâd beg to differ. I strongly believe knowledge is merely potential powerđ€. The real super power is common sense, and with enough of it you might just be the next Oprah Winfrey, Mark Zuckerburg, Abraham Lincoln, Walt Disney, Maya Angelou, Thomas Edison, or Steve Jobs (just off the top of my head). Each brilliant in their own way, but none of them even boast a college degree. Their genius lies in the intangibles; they are purveyors of instinct and action. Book smarts may boost your IQ score, but without practical application in the real world, itâs rather trivial. While ignorance may be bliss, I say street smarts are divine. Wisdom is an absolutely priceless commodity that canât be bought; itâs built through taking risks and surviving. Mastering shrewdness and common sense are arts in and of themselves, and luckily Iâm here to serve as your CommonSensei. While I didnât score 2400 on the SAT, Iâve since graduated at the top of my class in gut instinct, adaptability, and confidence. So letâs get inside my head and explore the method to my madnessđ€Ș.Â
CommonSensei