Let's take a breather from Gunpla to talk about news which has been making the rounds lately. JEREMY LIN. Ah what can I say about him that hasn't already been said? For those of you not in the know, Jeremy Lin, an Asian-American NBA basketballer that came out of nowhere after being stereo-typed, overlooked and under-used, has been tearing up not only his league, but headlines all around the world. Unless you've been living under a rock, you MUST have vaguely heard of this guy, even if you don't follow the sport.
Jeremy Lin captures my imagination. Jeremy Lin makes me think that someone as insignificant as myself might someday be significant. There's just something about sports that personifies the elation of achievement that nothing else can. We go about our daily lives, thinking about the next call you gotta make at work, the next thing you wanna consume so you can feel happy for that short time before the need to consume something else kicks in again, or simply, where to bring the kids this weekend. When was the last time you were so pumped up about something you accomplished that you'd catch yourself beaming like an idiot, or screaming and clenching your fists in wild elated abandon?
And that's what Jeremy Lin stands for. His is a story that reminds us of a time in our lives where chasing something so infinitely simple - like a championship in an inter-hall basketball tournament in school - meant the ultimate victory. The absolute zenith of accomplishment. When was the last time you felt like this since you entered the workforce? Unless the boss tells you tomorrow that you've just been promoted to head of your department and your salary's been tripled, what else takes the cake? Even if THAT happened, is being head of your department really what you want?
Somewhere in my heart of hearts, I wish that I had something to shoot for, where I'd train with such reckless abandon like Jeremy Lin trying to make it into the NBA. I wish that there was an equivalent of going down to the court and running suicide drills at midnight, knowing that I'm working harder than the others so I'll be better than all of them.
Jeremy Lin has once again reminded me that there is no point languishing in obscurity at something you do not love to do, or are mediocre at. Maybe all of you have kids to feed, a mortgage to pay for, or some practical reason that would have snapped you out of my ramblings three paragraphs before you reached here. Maybe not. Jeremy Lin tells me that although whatever I accomplish is never going to gain worldwide recognition and adoration, just the fact that I've accomplished it 'cos I LOVE doing it and I'm GOOD at it, would suffice.
So I leave you with this thought, my friends - if you've been following the story of Jeremy Lin, is he just a feel-good, rags-to-riches tale for entertainment, or does it stir and resonate with something deeper inside? If it's still not too late to be looking for that one thing that you'd always dream of doing that you could be good at and possibly forging a career out of, would you do it?
Then of course, folks, this could be all idealistic musings from a weary mind that has had a bad day at work. After following this guy, I was galvanised into working up a sweat for something, maybe burning some calories on a midnight jog to pretend I'm Jeremy training for the big time. And I thought I was. Until I came crashing back to Earth when I stepped on dog shit. Ah yes, the sweet wicked irony of real life....
Best J-Lin vids I've encountered thus far, for goosebumps and for laughs:
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