Iiiiit's that time of year AGAIN!
Once again, it's time for the
List of things I've learned this year!
-everything for classes
-how to write an extended, year-long project that is mostly my own analyses and conjectures
-part of what makes mice annoying is that they come back
-being a parent (to a cat) is a good time
-there are some things that are easier to digest in fantasy than in reality
-just because I know a lot about a subject doesn't mean I know everything about it
-yes, I am capable of racism
-in fact, we all are, and more often than not we (white people) don't realize it
-just because I've done a major life transition before doesn't make the next one easier or less scary
-my parents are human beings, and as such can be wrong, and it's okay for me to disagree with them
-how important a role my partner plays in helping me de-stress and maintain emotional balance
-queer folk can be as close-minded as straight folk, especially when they hear the phrase "in a monogamous long-distance relationship with a non-trans man"
-getting up at 7:30 on weekdays isn't as painful as it sounds, as long as I can get to sleep early enough
-moving is tricky, but moving between countries when you're not moving from home into a residence is much harder
-I'm touchy about the mistakes I make in French
-I've absorbed a particular mindset here, and it's going to be hard to re-frame myself as an American living in America
-I have a bitchy streak that can be quite wide, especially when confronted by someone as strongly opinionated or as egocentric as myself
-Sometimes you have to suck it up and take the flack, even if you and everyone else knows it wasn't your fault...
-...And as noble as it sounds to do, it doesn't earn you any extra credit: people still remember you as being the dick who had to apologize
-Sometimes I read way too much into what people do or don't say to me, and it creates a lot of unnecessary drama in my head
-Spending too much time with my own thoughts makes me kinda nuts
-Yoga is a good way to balance head time with other activities
-I'm slightly awkward when meeting people casually, especially when they're people on whom I want to make a good impression (i.e. Nick's family)
-Having been a Girl Scout gets me far in that regard, though
-Secret agent stuff is always misrepresented on TV: sure, you do some really cool things, but no one will ever know about it because YOU CAN'T TELL THEM
-As much as I don't want to do it right now, there's a small part of me that gets all excited and jealous every time I hear about someone getting engaged
-That part of me can be silenced fairly easily
-Every now and then there's a tiny part of me that wishes I could walk around and be completely oblivious to all the different forms of oppression and violence that exist on this planet, and even though I'm sure I'm oblivious to a lot of them, there are loads more of which sometimes I feel too aware
-As much as I love pasta, it's as easy to make rice, broccoli, and a veggie burger for dinner, much more nutritious, and adds some variety to my gastronomical existence
-Writing a thesis disconnects you from a huge portion of your life, particularly as far as social and extracurricular activities are concerned
-Every now and then I have a strong urge to hit people who annoy me, and that's bad
-How to swear until everyone around you is blushing
-How to survive a 30-hour flight delay
-Directly connected to that one: how to use/abuse family ties to avoid sleeping in an airport
-Also directly connected: as important as it is to be polite and courteous when dealing with the airline staff (because they are quite stressed and abused by customers as it is), after 30 hours it's acceptable to get angry and raise a shitstorm
-Murphy's Law will kick in when you least expect it
-What you prepare for an interview and what they actually ask you are two different things
-I can be mean if I want
-It's easy to get so wrapped up in thesis work that you miss out on a lot of your life
-Somewhere between my high school graduation and now, my sister grew up and is even cooler than before
-When my dad told me I would have to have my heart broken at some point, he didn't mean it had to be romantic (which is both good and bad)
-The friend you sit up all night talking with is also the friend who understands you the best
-Even if you don't think you're much affected by cloudy vs. sunny days, the first warm sunny day of the spring invariably makes you a cheerier person
-I have the most consistently, insanely involved dreams of anyone I've ever met
-While it's nice to have a fantasy game to get lost in, sometimes it's possible to get too lost
-Cybersex isn't nearly as ridiculous as I thought
-I'm often the first to initiate something sexually new with my partner, which I didn't expect
-I love cranberry juice
-As much of a computer dummy as I think I am, I'm nothing compared to my roommate
-People being holier-than-thou is one of my biggest pet peeves (even though I certainly can be)
-How stretchy a scrotum is
-Being friends with your former teachers might make you a "loser," but also means you have friends with completely different perspectives on life
-I have an overdeveloped sense of guilt
-I vacillate between wanderlust and a strong desire to stay put
So there you have it...final one from McGill. I wonder what next year will bring...
List of things I've learned this year!
-everything for classes
-how to write an extended, year-long project that is mostly my own analyses and conjectures
-part of what makes mice annoying is that they come back
-being a parent (to a cat) is a good time
-there are some things that are easier to digest in fantasy than in reality
-just because I know a lot about a subject doesn't mean I know everything about it
-yes, I am capable of racism
-in fact, we all are, and more often than not we (white people) don't realize it
-just because I've done a major life transition before doesn't make the next one easier or less scary
-my parents are human beings, and as such can be wrong, and it's okay for me to disagree with them
-how important a role my partner plays in helping me de-stress and maintain emotional balance
-queer folk can be as close-minded as straight folk, especially when they hear the phrase "in a monogamous long-distance relationship with a non-trans man"
-getting up at 7:30 on weekdays isn't as painful as it sounds, as long as I can get to sleep early enough
-moving is tricky, but moving between countries when you're not moving from home into a residence is much harder
-I'm touchy about the mistakes I make in French
-I've absorbed a particular mindset here, and it's going to be hard to re-frame myself as an American living in America
-I have a bitchy streak that can be quite wide, especially when confronted by someone as strongly opinionated or as egocentric as myself
-Sometimes you have to suck it up and take the flack, even if you and everyone else knows it wasn't your fault...
-...And as noble as it sounds to do, it doesn't earn you any extra credit: people still remember you as being the dick who had to apologize
-Sometimes I read way too much into what people do or don't say to me, and it creates a lot of unnecessary drama in my head
-Spending too much time with my own thoughts makes me kinda nuts
-Yoga is a good way to balance head time with other activities
-I'm slightly awkward when meeting people casually, especially when they're people on whom I want to make a good impression (i.e. Nick's family)
-Having been a Girl Scout gets me far in that regard, though
-Secret agent stuff is always misrepresented on TV: sure, you do some really cool things, but no one will ever know about it because YOU CAN'T TELL THEM
-As much as I don't want to do it right now, there's a small part of me that gets all excited and jealous every time I hear about someone getting engaged
-That part of me can be silenced fairly easily
-Every now and then there's a tiny part of me that wishes I could walk around and be completely oblivious to all the different forms of oppression and violence that exist on this planet, and even though I'm sure I'm oblivious to a lot of them, there are loads more of which sometimes I feel too aware
-As much as I love pasta, it's as easy to make rice, broccoli, and a veggie burger for dinner, much more nutritious, and adds some variety to my gastronomical existence
-Writing a thesis disconnects you from a huge portion of your life, particularly as far as social and extracurricular activities are concerned
-Every now and then I have a strong urge to hit people who annoy me, and that's bad
-How to swear until everyone around you is blushing
-How to survive a 30-hour flight delay
-Directly connected to that one: how to use/abuse family ties to avoid sleeping in an airport
-Also directly connected: as important as it is to be polite and courteous when dealing with the airline staff (because they are quite stressed and abused by customers as it is), after 30 hours it's acceptable to get angry and raise a shitstorm
-Murphy's Law will kick in when you least expect it
-What you prepare for an interview and what they actually ask you are two different things
-I can be mean if I want
-It's easy to get so wrapped up in thesis work that you miss out on a lot of your life
-Somewhere between my high school graduation and now, my sister grew up and is even cooler than before
-When my dad told me I would have to have my heart broken at some point, he didn't mean it had to be romantic (which is both good and bad)
-The friend you sit up all night talking with is also the friend who understands you the best
-Even if you don't think you're much affected by cloudy vs. sunny days, the first warm sunny day of the spring invariably makes you a cheerier person
-I have the most consistently, insanely involved dreams of anyone I've ever met
-While it's nice to have a fantasy game to get lost in, sometimes it's possible to get too lost
-Cybersex isn't nearly as ridiculous as I thought
-I'm often the first to initiate something sexually new with my partner, which I didn't expect
-I love cranberry juice
-As much of a computer dummy as I think I am, I'm nothing compared to my roommate
-People being holier-than-thou is one of my biggest pet peeves (even though I certainly can be)
-How stretchy a scrotum is
-Being friends with your former teachers might make you a "loser," but also means you have friends with completely different perspectives on life
-I have an overdeveloped sense of guilt
-I vacillate between wanderlust and a strong desire to stay put
So there you have it...final one from McGill. I wonder what next year will bring...