If You Don't Know Jack...

We went to another Explorer series lecture at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History this weekend. The auditorium was packed, the lights were down, and we were treated to a slideshow presentation of the Apollo missions and the cultural and political events that inspired them. David West Reynolds approached the podium sporting tight black jeans tucked into knee high black boots, and a black waist length jacket with gold stripes on the shoulders, reminiscent of Star Wars. He is an archaeologist by day, and an Apollo afficionado by night. The meat of his lecture will be left for another meal, but as he approached the podium I thought- here is a man who still knows how to play. I was green with envy.
Living half a century + , I've had many opportunities to diversify my "life portfolio". The result is when it comes to play I'm a "jack of all trades" and "master of none". My interests skip around like a B8 in a bingo bowl. Two weeks ago crop circles, last week Stonehenge, this week scrapbooking, next week the moons of Jupiter, soon to be followed by digital photography (the bird migration to the shores of Lake Erie peaks in May). If I planned my playtime with as much diligence as I do my work schedule or my social calendar, I'd get a lot more done. Is it bad to be a "jack of all trades"? I got to thinking of all the "jacks" I have known: there's 'Jack be nimble', Jack-o-lantern, and Jack Frost, there's jack-in-the-pulpit, jackdaws, and jackrabbit. I can jack up the car, or jack into my computer. Finally, there's Jack, the Ripper, jackass, "jacks_ _ _", and "You don't know Jack!". Can so many "Jacks" be wrong? So, fine, I accept the title "jack of all trades and master of none" and I'm proud of it. As long as I keep playing with curiosity, passion, and purpose I'm bound to be cracker jack in something sooner or later.