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December 30, 2004
Inspiration from a Lithuanian vandal
Shortly after I first landed in the former Soviet Union for the first time, I took a walk around Vilnaus, Lithuania, and encountered a graffito reading: “Your life becomes more and more of adventure.” It was an auspicious start to a great weak of adventure.
Here, the movers just departed my apartment. I suppose that now it’s official, although it is bittersweet. I am sitting in a 30’ white box, completely empty save a halogen light, with assorted doors at one end and a view 800’ over Chicago on the other. The sounds of the city echo up.
I decided while I was in Belgium to apply to the MBA programme at Columbia University in the City of New York, as it is officially called. I was admitted after Thanksgiving and start orientation on January 3—which is all pretty rapid. The Firm offered to pay the tuition, which saves $75K over the 17 month course of the programme; in return, I have signed a contract that expires in late 2008. My goods are on their way to an 1888 Italianate/Queen Anne transitional townhouse in Harlem, which, like Chicago’s Water Tower district, is one of America’s most storied neighborhoods and promises to be a great adventure. (Some guys at the office are taking an over/under on how many times I will be a victim of a violent crime while living there. I racked up 21 non-violent counts in West Philly.)
Nonetheless, my empty box is initially quite bittersweet. Sweet, because it feels so nice not to have any material possessions to my name right now. If the truck were to plunge into the East River and I collected my $10K insurance, I am not sure that I would mind not having all the things and stuff that enrich life at the cost of clutter—organized clutter but still clutter. On the other hand, $10K isn’t much, and the mementos of visiting 56 countries, hand-written correspondence, and the various gifts from friends and relatives are hardly worth $10K.
My empty box has depressions in the carpet and wear patterns where I surely trotted, happy, sad, awed by the city below. I’ll never forget my “oh my god” reaction when I first saw the apartment like this, and the same reaction from so many visitors—and the movers today. Then there are the friends and relationships in Chicago, which I hope to retain-—from the doorlady at the commercial entrance to the closest friends.
It can be hard to give up good things, but often we give up good things to get something even better. We call this “opportunity,” and it’s often good if not preceded by “fabulous work-at-home.” Many opportunities together are called “get rich slow” and “more and more of adventure.” I usually hate vandals, but I owe something to an unknown Lithuanian hoodlum.
Posted by adrianjo at December 30, 2004 11:16 PM
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