Do Not Waste My Time
Posted: Monday, September 08, 2008
by Olof Eriksen
Unique Systems, Inc.
One of the most valuable assets I have is time.
Time to work and time to play, and everything in between, except, I do not have time to waste. Time is too precious to me.
I seldom go to the movies. I do not watch much TV. I do not have time.
Do not misunderstand me. I like to see a good movie or a good show on TV, but they are few and far between.
Some, I am sure, will snicker at the above and what follows, and some will proberbly say: Who does he think he is?
If you do, this is my answer.
I am very special.
So are you, but I am talking about me.
I am one of the most magnificent human being that God made.
So are you, but I am talking about me.
In my book, Memoirs of an Immigrant , I write:
God gave each one of us ten talents, but He must have made a mistake with me. He gave me twenty talents.
Do not get angry, it serves no purpose, and try to understand that I am always right, until you prove me wrong. And should you prove me wrong, two things will happen.
First, I will have learned something new.
Second, I will apologize. I have no problem with that.
I am an optimist. I do not have time to be a pessimist.
To fend for myself I always had to look around me, up and foreward. There was, in my opinion, no other way. Learn from the past, but look to the future. That is how I survived.
You have to read my book to understand and see what I have done and accomplished to date, and then, and only then will you see the truth when I say: I do not have time to waste.
I used to play seven instruments. I have a Lowrey theater organ, and in past years I would play the pipe organ in my church. My all time favored is the accordion, and I have ten of these in my collection, and I learned to play these instruments on my own time.
Many of you, I am sure, have learned to play one or more instrument on your own time also, and have done the same thing, but I am talking about me.
I am a mechanical engineer and I devote much time engineering parts for steam turbines that drives generators, that generates electricity so that you can turn a switch, or push a button on your computer, so that you amongst other things, can rebut my statements; or none of them, some of them or all of them, your choice.
I am the best at what I do, and I tell all my customers worldwide just that: I am the worlds foremost reverse engineer. On August 4, 2008, my company was elected to become the sole supplier of parts for certain rotating machinery in Indonesia . Part of the agreement is that I must fly to Indonesia to teach, show and tell hundreds of people who work on turbines: How to repair them and how to keep them running at top efficiency.
WOW! You are going to say. This man must be sick, and sure as God made apples he suffers from "brag-i-tites." Smile, I just "invented" that word. L ike I said previously. God gave me 20 talents, a brilliant mind, and I like to believe that I have not wasted these talents.
I will not tell anyone I am second best. No way. From where I came from, bleak at best, and from what I have accomplished, however big or small, is thanks to a power I do not understand, and the glory is His, not mine.
You want to get on the bandwagon? Great!
You are also good at what you do, but remember, I am talking about me.
I suffer from a disease called Ant-it is. Ants in my pants, or I cannot sit still. I have to be constructive, converting my time into quality time. Read my book and then you will understand. Do not waste my time and I will not waste yours.
I recognize very well that these are strong words, almost callous, but only if you have experienced my childhood and upbringing can one truly understand.
Where and when did all this start?
Some will say it starts when one is born, and I will not dispute that. For me the start was, and became one big calamity. Short and to the point.
In 1944, during WW II my mother abandoned me.
Then to the end of the war, alone with my little brother Erik and alcoholic father.
After the war when I was taken by force from my Dad and placed in a boys home where I stayed for seven years, beaten and brutalized.
This is when I had to learn to fend for myself, and God forgive me when I say: It was do or die.
In the boys home it was time for this and time for that, and do what you were told.
Do it well, and if you missed a set time and did not perform, you were punished.
That is how and when it started, and it will only end after my last breath.
And store this in your memory.
Do not do tomorrow what you can do today!
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Top-level comments on this article: (2 total)Oh, Olof. This is your best work todate! It is fabulous and I'm not just saying that. I have read your book and I know! Wonderfully well-written article. Straight to the point and pulls no punches!!!! I knew you had it in you. Great Job.Sandra (Grannie)
To Grandma and Elfreda,Thank you both for your kind acceptance of my article. There is more comming so keep your eyes glued to the screen. Only kidding.Love you both,Olle
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