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I got through the first paragraph and realized, I thought I was the only one who thought this.

On a personal level, I make espresso every day and that is my (current) ritualized quest of perfection or mastery. And my wife receives a great drink too, double win.

On a larger note, the astounding beauty in European cities (Budapest, Rome, Florence most recently for me) is the physical manifestation of the perfection pursuit. The Hungarians are proud, yet ruthless in what they choose to create or solve. The Budapest Opera House has red marble stone walls, except they are painted. Few walls are real marble but they paint & plaster everything to look pristine. As we encounter beauty, perfection becomes closer into our sights.

Thank you for your work writing this piece.

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