Things I Don't Like

Awhile a go I wrote a post on Things I Like to celebrate those random blessings in my life. Well, here's the yin to that yang...Things I don't like. In no particular order.

I don't like...

1. Heights
I don't particularly enjoy heights. My knees get shaky. My legs get weak. I think of the myriad shapes I'd make if I plunged to my death and splatted on the ground. Ew, gory.

But this doesn't explain why I liked rock and wall climbing in high school or why I harbor the desire to sky dive.

I suppose mostly I just enjoy a good challenge, and what are fears but simply challenges unmet?

I don't like...

2. Timidity
If you want to do something, go out and do it. If you don't like something about yourself or your life, get proactive to make improvements. And for goodness' sake, if you don't know where you're going do NOT stop in the middle of the highway to look at your map.

I don't like...

3. Sheryl Crow
I don't know why. It's one of life's great mysteries, because you would think a talented, guitar-playing, singer-songwriter would be right up my musical alley, but there's just something about her shouting melodies, I mean, singing that rubs me the wrong way.

I don't like...

4. Ignorance
Seems obvious, right? Wrong, at least, according to Newsweek. Now, I know there are tons of smart people out there, and even the smartest person can be dumb about some things, but I just wonder if terrorism is really the biggest threat to our nation.

I don't like...

5. Bugs
The number one reason why I don't like being single is because I don't have anyone at home to kill all the creepy crawlies for me. And that is why I'm single. You gotta have a better reason than that, no?

Things I Like

In this economy it's easy to get downtrodden and depressed, especially when looking for a job. Therefore, I've made it a habit to think of three things every morning that I like and/or that bless my life. It helps to remember that, while many of the good things in my life are things I've worked incredibly hard for, there are just as many good things in my life that are blessings for which I did nothing to deserve. Here are just a sampling of these latest likes - blessings, results of hard word, randomness, or otherwise.

I like...

1. Having a Job
Yes, I worked hard to get it. I worked incredibly hard to get a Master's degree, and then spent weeks searching for a job and pushing the boundaries of my creativity in doing so. But, ultimately, getting those interviews and then getting an offer after several interviews at several places is an elusive combination of hard work, persistence, and serendipity.

I like...

2. Tosh.0
This show is so highly inappropriate that I can't help but like it on some deep, barbaric level. I think the same part of me that leaves Sports Center on all day and calls The Big Lebowski a favorite film is the one that likes Tosh.0.

I like...

3. My Sandwiches Cut Into Triangles
They just taste better that way, no?


I like...

4. The Sound My Directional Signal Makes When it Clicks Off
I don't know why, but it's an oddly satisfying sound. Perhaps because it reminds me that I am still young enough to regularly use one while driving.

I like...

5. Cooking
Not only does chopping things with a large knife lower my stress level, but it also makes me believe that I'm contributing to the greater good. You know, taking care of my peeps..."my peeps" referring to whomever I'm cooking for at the moment. I'm also pretty good at it.

And there you have it. A short list of the latest things I like, in no particular order. Stay tuned for when I explore my dislikes...it's sure to be entertaining.

Social Media, Social Repetition, Social Apathy?

I'm going through a non-Internet phase in my life...in that I have no Internet. Why pay $50 a month just to provide myself with another distraction I don't need?

Not to mention being connected 24/7 has never sounded attractive to me - have people bother me all of the time? No way!

Lately this has extended to this blog (as if you haven't noticed) and Twitter.

Does anyone really care what I'm doing/thinking/saying?

Do I really want to keep writing in first person?

Am I growing out of my narcissism?

This is where I currently am with the blog. Mayhap I will envision a new direction for this little space of the Internets and become more regular about my posting. If you have any ideas, please, let me know. And don't say Metamucil; I realize the phrasing in that last sentence sounded a bit off.

And Twitter.

I've come to be a little cynical and suspicious of Twitter as of late. Is it really just people who know each other in real life carrying on a conversation? Do all of those @ replies really just represent a sham of what should be friends texting each other, and in no way are related to strangers networking, information sharing, or gaining/losing popularity?

I wonder sometimes.

Maybe I'm following the wrong people and my data is skewed.

Regardless, this is where I stand on the whole social media thing right now, at least for personal use. There's a cynical side of me that thinks it's all a repetition of what could be conducted via phone, text, or in-person, and there's an apathetic side of me that wonders, really, what am I bringing to the table with status updates and blog posts that tell everyone what they probably already know?