This post is from 2011-07-24 - my distant past...

I’ve seen Richard Feynman - about whom I knew nothing - referred to many times recently, so I figured I’d read an autobiography. It has plenty of enjoyable tales.

What’s inspiring to me is how he managed to excel in multiple areas - becoming a renowned physicist didn’t prevent him from acquiring decent artistic and musical skills, for example. Sometimes I worry there’s not enough time in life for all the things I’d like to pursue; Feynman’s exploits suggest you can potentially fit in quite a lot.

I also can’t help but think my life would be more interesting if I responded to impulses of curiosity with his level of zeal. (“when I was at Caltech and lived in a little house on Alameda Street, some ants came out around the bathtub. I thought, ‘This is a great opportunity.’”)