About Me - Labels on the Outside, So Much Bigger on the Inside
Historically this journal has been "Friends Only". A few public posts here and there but all of the good stuff is private. That used to be a problem. Maybe with the advent of Facebook and there no longer being an expectation of privacy that I no longer feel it a necessity to hide all of my thoughts from the world. And - before everything went private, I met several good people who found me by random journal. Or maybe from a friend's friend page. Hiding behind a friend filter will not get my words out and I won't meet anyone new. If my quest to revitalize the hey day of livejournal, well I need to step out of my comfort zone. So Hey! Look! Public post. I need to give you a tantalizing taste of what's hidden underneath. I will try and do a public post each week. Public Wednesdays? Please P Wednesdays? What shall we call this?
So what is this post about? This post is about how I'm terrible describing myself. You know when you have to fill out those "About Me" sections or maybe a dating or social profile? I'm terrible. How can I possibly put to words just how awesome I am? I try and think about what kind of aspects I like to know when I read other people's "About Me" sections. Because one thing I really hate is when you go to the "About Me" and it is blank. Or "I'm going to fill this out later." Ugh. It's THE WORST. And then, then there are the sections that are encyclopediac in length. I don't need to know your entire life story. Just some highlights. Maybe a funny anecdote. A quick guideline to see maybe if our two personalities will click.
The other extreme is the people who have either a laundry list of "requirements" for their mate or a laundry list of "dealbreakers". I'm afraid the nature of the internet has made everyone think that 1) Instant Gratification. I can always find exactly what I want. 2) There are plenty of fish in the sea. 3) Having a text conversation constitutes a meaningful relationship. 4) I don't like what you said - you are dead to me.
Relationships take time. Relationships take work. People will disagree. Get out from behind the computer screen and have face to face meetings.
People are so afraid of being judged. People are so very judgmental. People try and create this fake, what they believe to be attractive, persona for themselves. For instance, according to OKCupid - every gay man in Virginia is into "outdoor activities". Let me tell you, camping once in third grade doesn't count. I like camping. But I maybe only go once every year or two. That's something I'd like to change, and have made efforts toward, but be honest about it. I can't tell you the last time any of my friends went camping. Well - my friend Allie went like two weeks ago. But before her - I couldn't tell you. Staying at a 5 star wilderness lodge is not camping.
I'm a computer programmer. Or you could say I'm a software developer. Or a software engineer. I can tell you every single one of those totals screams "NERD". Don't get me wrong, I'm definitely a nerd, but I'm not as nerdy as my job makes me sound. I like to think I'm socially well-adjusted. But I can also say, when I try to explain what I do to people, the majority of them respond with "I didn't understand a bit of what you just said." So I don't often talk about work. Most of the stuff I work on is proprietary anyway so we can't share it even if I wanted to.
When I was in college, some friends in my dorm and I would play basketball every weekend. None of my friends play basketball now. I'm not a gym rat, but I try to exercise regularly. I like running. I'm not fast, but I'm persistent. I've done three Army Ten-Milers, One Twilight Tower of Terror Ten-Miler, two Tough Mudders, and four Warrior Dashes. I would like to do a marathon at one point. But just one. I really loved rowing - and tried my hand at it twice - but I can't deal with the team drama and politics. It seems solo activities are the way to go.
I love coffee. It is my new hobby. I belong to a coffee subscription service and am learning the different techniques for pour over. I also bought a moka pot to make cheap man espresso. I'm still learning and I'm not a "coffee snob" but I enjoy learning about it and I love a really good cup of coffee.
I love traveling but can't afford to go as often as I would like. I'm trying to change that - one big trip a year. I love London and am a bit of an anglophile. I prefer British TV programs. If I could just get a service of BBC 1, 2, 3, 4 and Dave my life would be set. Well - a few individual shows purchased on iTunes in addition. I love learning about foreign culture and food. I speak some Spanish (4 years - but have forgotten most of it), French (1 year), Japanese (2 years), and Russian (2.5 years). I had been planning on going to Russia but have decided against it due to current social and political issues. So now I'd like to go to Japan because I never made it yet so will in the near future be brushing up on my Japanese again.
I enjoy cooking. I like challenging myself in the kitchen and trying new things. My specialty is pie and desserts but I'm branching out into doing more main course dishes. I just made chicken with plums and homemade gyoza also a homemade English trifle. It is a never ending adventure.
I also enjoy video games, reading, foreign and independent films, and live music but can only indulge occasionally. I like big blockbuster movies as well, but 80% of the time I'm at the independent theater. I'm currently reading The Fountainhead and have a shelf dedicated to all of the books I will read after that. I like Science Fiction but probably only read about 40% of that, the rest varies. I like a lot of SciFi TV shows. I'm currently watching Glee, Fargo, Archer, The Americans, Doctor Who, Teen Wolf, Game of Thrones, and Orphan Black. Favorite shows of all time Friends, LOST, Battlestar Galactica, I Love Lucy.
I have a cat. I love the 80s. Winter is my favorite season - there is no such thing as too much snow. I watch Saturday Morning cartoons in my lounge pants. Road trips are my friend. I read superhero comics (X-Men and the like) on occasion.
See? Does that describe me? Does that make you want to talk to me? Would you message me for a date? How many red flags are present? Maybe I should say I like bourbon.
I'm going to have to stop because I feel this entry is pages too long. Let's just call this a work in progress and we can edit my blurb together.
So what is this post about? This post is about how I'm terrible describing myself. You know when you have to fill out those "About Me" sections or maybe a dating or social profile? I'm terrible. How can I possibly put to words just how awesome I am? I try and think about what kind of aspects I like to know when I read other people's "About Me" sections. Because one thing I really hate is when you go to the "About Me" and it is blank. Or "I'm going to fill this out later." Ugh. It's THE WORST. And then, then there are the sections that are encyclopediac in length. I don't need to know your entire life story. Just some highlights. Maybe a funny anecdote. A quick guideline to see maybe if our two personalities will click.
The other extreme is the people who have either a laundry list of "requirements" for their mate or a laundry list of "dealbreakers". I'm afraid the nature of the internet has made everyone think that 1) Instant Gratification. I can always find exactly what I want. 2) There are plenty of fish in the sea. 3) Having a text conversation constitutes a meaningful relationship. 4) I don't like what you said - you are dead to me.
Relationships take time. Relationships take work. People will disagree. Get out from behind the computer screen and have face to face meetings.
People are so afraid of being judged. People are so very judgmental. People try and create this fake, what they believe to be attractive, persona for themselves. For instance, according to OKCupid - every gay man in Virginia is into "outdoor activities". Let me tell you, camping once in third grade doesn't count. I like camping. But I maybe only go once every year or two. That's something I'd like to change, and have made efforts toward, but be honest about it. I can't tell you the last time any of my friends went camping. Well - my friend Allie went like two weeks ago. But before her - I couldn't tell you. Staying at a 5 star wilderness lodge is not camping.
I'm a computer programmer. Or you could say I'm a software developer. Or a software engineer. I can tell you every single one of those totals screams "NERD". Don't get me wrong, I'm definitely a nerd, but I'm not as nerdy as my job makes me sound. I like to think I'm socially well-adjusted. But I can also say, when I try to explain what I do to people, the majority of them respond with "I didn't understand a bit of what you just said." So I don't often talk about work. Most of the stuff I work on is proprietary anyway so we can't share it even if I wanted to.
When I was in college, some friends in my dorm and I would play basketball every weekend. None of my friends play basketball now. I'm not a gym rat, but I try to exercise regularly. I like running. I'm not fast, but I'm persistent. I've done three Army Ten-Milers, One Twilight Tower of Terror Ten-Miler, two Tough Mudders, and four Warrior Dashes. I would like to do a marathon at one point. But just one. I really loved rowing - and tried my hand at it twice - but I can't deal with the team drama and politics. It seems solo activities are the way to go.
I love coffee. It is my new hobby. I belong to a coffee subscription service and am learning the different techniques for pour over. I also bought a moka pot to make cheap man espresso. I'm still learning and I'm not a "coffee snob" but I enjoy learning about it and I love a really good cup of coffee.
I love traveling but can't afford to go as often as I would like. I'm trying to change that - one big trip a year. I love London and am a bit of an anglophile. I prefer British TV programs. If I could just get a service of BBC 1, 2, 3, 4 and Dave my life would be set. Well - a few individual shows purchased on iTunes in addition. I love learning about foreign culture and food. I speak some Spanish (4 years - but have forgotten most of it), French (1 year), Japanese (2 years), and Russian (2.5 years). I had been planning on going to Russia but have decided against it due to current social and political issues. So now I'd like to go to Japan because I never made it yet so will in the near future be brushing up on my Japanese again.
I enjoy cooking. I like challenging myself in the kitchen and trying new things. My specialty is pie and desserts but I'm branching out into doing more main course dishes. I just made chicken with plums and homemade gyoza also a homemade English trifle. It is a never ending adventure.
I also enjoy video games, reading, foreign and independent films, and live music but can only indulge occasionally. I like big blockbuster movies as well, but 80% of the time I'm at the independent theater. I'm currently reading The Fountainhead and have a shelf dedicated to all of the books I will read after that. I like Science Fiction but probably only read about 40% of that, the rest varies. I like a lot of SciFi TV shows. I'm currently watching Glee, Fargo, Archer, The Americans, Doctor Who, Teen Wolf, Game of Thrones, and Orphan Black. Favorite shows of all time Friends, LOST, Battlestar Galactica, I Love Lucy.
I have a cat. I love the 80s. Winter is my favorite season - there is no such thing as too much snow. I watch Saturday Morning cartoons in my lounge pants. Road trips are my friend. I read superhero comics (X-Men and the like) on occasion.
See? Does that describe me? Does that make you want to talk to me? Would you message me for a date? How many red flags are present? Maybe I should say I like bourbon.
I'm going to have to stop because I feel this entry is pages too long. Let's just call this a work in progress and we can edit my blurb together.