The curse of being a "jack of all trades; master of none"

Some people are a doctor, lawyer, mechanic, engineer, accountant, teacher, musician, artist, welder, or whatever for 20, 30 or more years; it's what they do.

I once worked with a guy named Ray Brooks who had many talents. He was a decent graphic artist and photographer. He also played drums well. And basketball and baseball. He was the production manager of WHIS-TV, and could run cameras, work the film chain, edit film, operate the video switcher ... the list goes on. I always admired that about Ray.

It took some years before it occurred to me that I was a lot like Ray. By that I mean I did lots of things decently, but had no particular interest that dominated all others. I was a decent trumpet player, percussionist and played a little bass. I earned a BA in Music education and a M.Ed. and taught band in public schools. I was fast on my feet and could catch a football and played decent shortstop. I also was a tolerable writer and worked in radio and TV in various rolls in production and on the air, culminating as the 11 o'clock anchor on WHIS-TV.

I claim only a similar orientation to doing lots of things, rather than one like folks involved in the careers listed in the first paragraph, like Ray did. I don't claim to be as broadly good at so many as he was.

As a result, I have had a varied, but interesting life. My chief interest shifts among a list of things, and I have had a bunch of different jobs in a few career areas. I know "something" about a bunch of things, but never became a true expert in any of them.