Tag Archive
for Seen-Around
Tagged as: Rant, Relationships, Seen-Around
Mar
26
We, as people, have a love/hate relationship with one of the things that is constantly changing: our age. Sometimes we want to get older, and sometimes we will do everything that we can to reduce it. But we really have no control over it, do we?
It seems as if all of this starts early in life. As we are going through the different grades in school, there is a marked distinction between students who are in different grades. Granted, this is all rather necessary because children generally mature and progress according to how old they are. So it makes sense in that situation. But the lasting influence seems to be that we feel comfortable with just people our own age.
Relationships
This effect can often be seen in the arena of relationships. Why is it that many of my friends who are girls will not even think about dating a younger guy? Is it because younger guys is not be great and worthy of her? Is it because they (the girls) are somehow more mature because they are a couple of years (sometimes a couple of months) older? I doubt it. Why do my guy friends only look for girls that are younger than them? And why is there a floor limit such that they won’t even consider girls younger than their specified age? There are a lot of questions, and there aren’t that many answers. All I know is that it all doesn’t make much sense. People limit themselves by not looking for the things that really matter, the essence and characteristics of a person. Then they complain that they can’t find anyone. And that’s just not right, is it?
Social Aspects
People age. That’s the truth. And it seems like as that happens the reality of death is more apparent. The chances become greater (on any particular day since the actual chances that you will die are 100%), and that seems to have lend itself to the general notion that young is better. Even more than that unspoken tendency is that socially we have come to praise the young as vibrant and beautiful.
On the other hand, people who are getting older can always attest that they are getting wiser. It’s true, they should be getting wiser anyways. They just have more experience, and those with experience know that it counts. Of course, those who lack it do not think that it counts for very much. I know, I’ve been/am still there.
Conclusion
But I say that it’s so much more important to be young at heart. Of people that I’ve met, young and old, I find myself consistently being convinced that being young at heart is truly the way that I want to go. I don’t want to lose the awe of a child looking at the huge expanse of the night sky or discovering something for the first time. No amount of time or social constructs can take that away. Whatever you do, don’t be proud of your age sheerly because of your age. That would make you Proud Of Nothing, wouldn’t it?
So really there are 2 ways that you can deal with age:
- Wine - get tastier and more valuable with age
- Cheese - get moldy!
Haha I know, I’m just good at making up strikingly accurate analogies. You don’t need to tell me twice. No really, you don’t.
Tagged as: Amusing, Geek, Seen-Around
Feb
15
The common thought is that nerds, geeks, and dorks are one and the same. However, I don’t think so. Semantics, shemantics, you say.
Although they seem very similar, I’m gonna have to go with a “yeah I don’t think so.” Looking them up online doesn’t provide definitive results, but I am still convinced. (Looking them up online does prove amusing because apparently the first definition of nerd is “a stupid, irritating, ineffectual, or unattractive person.” Stinks to be called unattractive in the dictionary.)
First off, the most important thing to note with any of these terms is that they can have both negative and positive connotations. I think that it mainly depends on your self-awareness. So if someone calls you a nerd, and you think of yourself as a nerd, then it’s not so bad. However, if you think that you’re a cool guy and you get called a nerd, all is not right with the world. As in many things in life, the failing of some expectation will result in your disappointment. And sadness. And low self-esteem. You get the point.
Alright so back to the matter at hand. (Hm I thought there was a rap song with “back to the matter at hand,” but I can’t find the song, let alone one that I could listen to in order to verify that. So…you get a small lame comment about how I tried and failed to remember a rap song of old.) Okay back to it, really now.
Here is the breakdown of the different types (at least in my mind):
- Nerd - intelligent, industrious, understands things
By day I’m a software engineer. (By night a superhero, but that’s another matter.) So I’m obviously a little biased if I give a good definition for a word and also remind everyone that it can describe me. But whatever, it’s what I actually think.
Some computer programmers (but by no means all of them) generally tend to be of the sort of people that want to delve deeper into understanding issues than others would. They want to truly understand how something works rather than just settling for using the end product. In the case of computer programming, while everyone else is content with looking at websites, using applications, and generally enjoying the products of the computer programming, the programmers themselves are working to create those products. And if they’re not creating them, then they’re trying to understand them.
Some of them might not be like that, but those are the kind that will end up not being very good at what they do. Those are the ones that do not have Professional Integrity. They’ll also end up being your boss, but more on that later.
In a general sense, nerds can be from all different backgrounds. But I think that they can generally be described as someone who is willing to study and do the work in order to learn the stuff. I’m not quite sure that someone who is naturally gifted with intelligence but who doesn’t utilize it can be categorized as a nerd. No, I take that back. They cannot be categorized as a nerd. They’re just smart and lazy. Really, how much worse can you get? I think that most people would rather be dumb and hard-working than smart and lazy.
Nerds can often be found in libraries, hunched over books, or wondering aloud about their surroundings. “Nerd” seems to be used most often in a complimentary way when describing others.
Someone can very well be a nerd, and you wouldn’t be able to tell from the outside appearance. The stereotype of the nerd is a skinny guy with glasses and a pocket protector. But something that I learned in college is that the surfer dude can be just as much of a nerd as the stereotype. He just hides it better. Much better.
The unfortunately sad thing about the term nerd is that it doesn’t just apply to those that work hard. They actually have to be good at whatever it is that they’re doing, whether school or work. Someone that works hard but who still is not as successful is just that, a hard worker. (Of course, a hard worker is still better than a smart lazy person.)
Basically, nerds rule. They’re even better when they know that they’re nerds and are not socially inept.
- Geek - Interested in things that others are not interested in, know a lot about their interests, but usually do not understand underlying principles
So I mentioned before when talking about nerds that there are computer programmers who will end up not being very good at programming. Unlike the more kindly description that I have above about nerdy computer programmers, these geek programmers fall into another category. And yeah, that category is lower.
Courtesy of Flickr user ClausM
In their work they will do things that they have no idea the meaning of. Unfortunately, they will sometimes correctly stab in the dark and get something right. That will only reinforce their thinking that their way is working. Stumbling, somehow they manage to get others to help them so that they eventually finish whatever it is that they’re doing.
I generally liken geeks more to IT (Information Technology) type of people rather than computer programmers. These are the people that know how to use a computer very well, but who would not be able to program “Hello World.” They can fiddle with and modify settings and properties to no end. They love computers, but they don’t actually know how a computer works. Of course, not all IT folks are like this. In my experience, it just seems like they can more generally be described this way.
Even beyond the IT people, geeks can be interested in a wide spectrum of topics. They will often be interested in technology-related things. I think that it’s because not everyone understands these things. Since geeks do not have skills in some areas of life, they want to have an area of expertise where others could not compare to them.
So yes, geeks are the types of people that are not only interested in Star Trek, but who will also dress up to go to the premiere. They’ll also buy collector cards, read forums online, and read every single book about Star Trek. Obsess much? Yes they will. But you don’t know where the Klingon Galaxy is located relative to our current position in space, do you??
Geeks come in all shapes and sizes. Of course, those are usually the odd shapes and sizes. They are generally not as hard to spot as the nerds because of their disregard for what others think of them. Their clothes don’t match, and they might occasionally offend others with their insufficient personal hygiene.
Still, geeks have their strong points. They are dedicated to what they like. They don’t really care that much what other people think about them. And they generally rule the Internet. However, they don’t rule sports, social situations, or tangible environments. They’re awkward in situations that they’re not accustomed to (like the aforementioned) and tend to do things that give away their geekdom like go on incessantly about their favorite topic when the real topic is something entirely different.
- Dork - Foolish, stupid, clumsy
There’s not really any two-ways about it, “dork” is not too good of a term. Obviously if someone is using it in an endearing fashion, it’s not too bad. And if someone says it about themselves, it’s usually in an amusing and self-deprecating way. But the term itself doesn’t have too much positive spin on it.
Dorks are the type of people who will do silly things. That’s not to say that they’ll necessarily be the ones making grand gestures to make people laugh. But they are comfortable enough with themselves to do things like put a “dork” box on their head and laugh at themselves.
If the dork is aware that they are a dork, then it’s funny. If they’re not aware, then it’s painful to watch such a socially uncomfortable person try to get by. Now I’m not sure whether they feel awkward or if they feel at ease with themselves in those situations. All I know is that it’s sometimes hard for me to watch.
Once again, there are good traits in the dork. The self-aware dork is able to not take themselves too seriously. They are able to do what they want without caring about others’ opinions. And even the dork who is not self-aware is able to make others feel more comfortable simply because of their silliness. Nobody feels the fool when they’re next to someone who is more foolish.
The funny thing is, I’m all of these things.
Tagged as: Food, Rant, Seen-Around
Feb
07
I don’t like how it’s impossible to get every last bit of semi-liquid type substances out of their container. Even more than that, though, it disappoints me that this slight irritation happens so often!
So as you probably know (or at least can guess from my blog’s name) that I’m Chinese. The stereotype is that Chinese people specifically (and Asian people in general) are a little bit stingy. Now, there are quite a lot of times that I can heartily agree that this stereotype has roots in reality. Maybe it’s because in China everyone has to fight for their own rights and properties since there are so many people vying for the limited resources. Ah communism at its best.
But another thing that you should know is that I’m, in general, not very Chinese. Now what does that mean? Well I don’t even speak the language, let alone act out the whole stereotype. I am, for all intents and purposes, completely American. Nevertheless, I do have a frugal side to me. (I mean, I did share 3 Little Tips To Save before.) And that frugal Chinese side of me doesn’t like that products are placed into packages that don’t allow me to utilize all that I’ve paid for!
There are just so many of these items that we use! Don’t know what I’m talking about? Well what about:
- yogurt
- mayonnaise
- toothpaste
- shampoo
- lotion
And that’s just to name a few! There are obviously many other things that could fall into this category. One would think that after so many years of production and perfecting the whole process, a better solution would have been reached. But no. All we get are cheap gadgets like the toothpaste clip that will ensure that as much paste as possible is pushed towards the opening. Ah!
What’s a society to do? It’s time for a change. It’s time for a revolution.
Tagged as: Gross, Seen-Around, Tip-For-Life, Work
Jan
31
There are some things that happen in life that cause you to become speechless. For some, this happens more often than for others. For me, it just happened. What in the world do you say when you walk into a stall and someone is sitting on the toilet doing their business?
Wait a second, something is not right. Oh yeah, I’m not supposed to go into a stall when another person is already in there.
- “You forgot to lock the door, you ninny.”
- “Surprise! I’m here!”
- “How are those TPS reports going?”
- “Ah ha, THAT’S where the smell was coming from!”
- “How’s that crossword puzzle going for you?”
- “Whoa…you know that’s not normal.”
- “Room in here for another?”
Really, how do you respond to that? You can’t. You’re speechless. This is one for the scrapbook (i.e. the blog). It’s even better when this person is from work and you see them around but don’t actually know them. Super!
Tip for life #2340987: Lock the little latch on the door when you are in a stall
Tagged as: Seen-Around, Work
Nov
09
So I just finished traveling for work. It was quite an interesting experience. First of all, I’ve not traveled for work before. Secondly, it was supremely interesting getting to watch this whole slew of people that I would not normally get to watch.
People watching was probably one of the more interesting things that I got to do.
Why do we like to watch people?
I’m of the mind that we (well at least I) like to watch people because we are interested in the human experience. Well that and because very often it’s pretty amusing. Or perhaps at the very heart of the matter, we like to see how we stack up against everyone else that’s around. Sometimes they’re stranger, sometimes they’re scarier, and sometimes they’re just like us. Alright they’re never just like us. We wouldn’t ever want to admit as much anyways.
People are interesting. Even the boring ones. Because the boring ones are very interesting when they don’t know that they’re being watched.
Benefits of people watching
-
Laughter
You gotta hand it to people, they’ll do some ridiculously hilarious things when they’re unaware that they’re being watched
-
Entertainment
Just because you forgot your electronic device or book, you’ll still have something to do. Almost no matter where are (unless you live as a hermit in which case this post is not for you).
-
Learn
Other people have had different experiences in their lives. Perhaps watching them will teach you lessons about how you can be a better person.
-
Smile
Catch those “cute” moments that nobody was supposed to see. You know, that darling thing that a child did or that self-sacrificing act that someone does for another. It’ll brighten your day and maybe next time you’ll be the one who puts a smile on somebody else’s slightly-creepy-people-watching face. 
-
Help
If you’re not aware or watching, someone could need your help and you would have never known. If you’re people watching, you’re (by definition) aware of your surroundings. So that makes it easier if you see someone getting hurt or in need of your assistence because you’ll see the need and lend a hand, won’t you? Let’s hope so!
People watching is a great thing to do. And it’s even more fun to do when you are surrounded by people that you would not normally be around (as I was this past weekend for my work conference). I didn’t know the vast majority of them, but I still enjoyed getting to watch them. I got to see how they interacted, I got to laugh at humorous things that I saw, and I got to amuse myself even (hopefully nobody really noticed me doing so).
Courtesy of Flickr user 
Courtesy of Flickr user 
Courtesy of Flickr user