Ten Best of Everything

I love lists because I believe life is too short not to be spending my time on only the best. I have a list of one hundred books to read because, at the rate I am going, I can only read about three books a month, which means I can only finish 360 books in ten years. For a bookworm like me, I can only echo the quote: "so many books, so little time." I have a list of 100 films to watch and a wish list of places to go and things to buy because no matter how rich I become, there is only so much time in the world to enjoy the fine things in life. This is why Lande and Lande's Ten Best of Everything was a joy to read. It was one of those books that gave me a sense of how best to experience distant places like Africa and South America whither, if it all, I may have but once chance to go.

The book also has lists of things like the ten best watches, pens and wines. At this point, much of the list is aspirational. It will take time before I can reward myself with a Rolex or a Patek Philippe and I already consider a one thousand peso bottle of wine expensive. I do not want to be too materialistic and measure my worth through the purchase of expensive trinkets. Yet I believe the aspiration for status symbols also has its value, especially if one does not mistake the symbol of achievement with the actual one. If I really wanted to, I can buy an expensive watch right now or perhaps take out a loan to purchase a luxury car. But to do so would be to remove the value of these objects for they are precisely the best because I need to work hard for them and earn the right to enjoy them. Cheers to the good life!