Ten Things meme

[cjsmith]

Why is it that when I read about things others have done and I have not, I jump to the conclusion that I'm somehow more boring? After all, if I think hard about it, I probably could come up with ten things of my own. (I don't need y'all to come telling me how fascinating my life is; I mean, you can if you want, but it's not necessary.) Would I really have to match *everyone's* most quirky experiences to think of myself as interesting?

I'm also envious of some of the things. Wish I could travel more, wish I had more nifty skills, and DAMN but I miss running and hiking and backpacking. Most of all, I miss being able to think "I could do that some day."

Comments

[dobledorje.livejournal.com]

I know how you feel... at the same time some completely trivial things would still fit the bill. I could say going to school in Mexico is something I've done that most readers haven't done, but it really is nothing special.

I think only people who want to brag do that meme ;)

[ohhjuliet.livejournal.com]

I actually did the meme to reaffirm my belief in myself... that I don't deserve most of the crap that is happening to me right now. Granted, some of the things on my list were silly... but there were a few that weren't...

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Maybe that should be my challenge: do this meme just for the oddities or for the humor, and without bragging.

[dawnd.livejournal.com]

Oh, you've definitely done things I haven't done. Called square dances in foreign countries, just to start. Gotten your pilot's license, which while others on your list have probably done this, is still not so common. Plus, there's some twist to it you could add that would make it even more unique. There's got to be more, even if you don't count things like having some obscene number of injections in your feet!

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

True, but except for the injections, there are others on my friends list who have also done those things. It'd be an interesting challenge to do this meme *without* using it as a way to toot my own horn.

[layer.livejournal.com]

i had the same feeling, but i think it was a good thing to try and find the unique experiences. and for the record, i don't think being proud of things you've accomplished or experienced should be seen as negative. and it's definitely not the same as bragging.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

True, I don't see pride in one's accomplishments as negative. For me, it's about the motivation: would I use this meme as a way to prop up my sad little ego, or would I share things for the joy of it? So that's my challenge to myself: find the things that are unique (and yeah, there's value in that) without using it as an excuse to say HEY EVERYONE LOOK HOW COOL I AM.

[layer.livejournal.com]

exactly. most of the things i'm used to being proud of are things most of my friends have also done. after i got over the initial i'm so dull feeling it was pretty fun to try and find the less apparent more unique things.

though i will admit the liner note thing was bragging a little. :)

[hitchhiker.livejournal.com]

Reserve spot #10 for "did this meme without bragging" (:

[yoak.livejournal.com]

The ones that I've read thus far haven't felt like bragging and the items selected felt mostly in the "Here's a tidbit about a really interesting story that you're free to ask me about" field. Well... sorta. Maybe that's as much my state of mind in reading them as the intent of the author. I just realized that the one most clearly in my mind did list "Got a 1600 on the SATs" as well as such things as "Made a music video featuring an animated benefits enrollment wizard." It is just that the latter category grabbed most of my attention.

(And for that matter, knowing the guy in question, he's more likely to regard having gotten a 1600 on the SAT as more of an oddity than an accomplishment.)

[wordweaverlynn.livejournal.com]

One of the reasons I did it was that my first reaction was to start listing the negatives about myself. I didn't post those, though maybe I should.

Acknowledging one's own accomplishments is a good thing, I think, whether or not you call it bragging. So is enjoying the accomplishments of others.

[firecat]

I'm having envy and "I'm boring" issues over the 10 things meme, too.

[genderfur.livejournal.com]

ditto

I tried to handle it by getting my f'list to tell me, but all I got was someone thinking I'd done professional movie acting (which I have not).

Now I have to actually think. But I like TS's idea, below.

[tenacious-snail.livejournal.com]

I'm jealous of the travel things that I see others posting. I'm actually thinking of doing the "ten things you've probably done that I haven't" variation that I have seen.

[lrc.livejournal.com]

One thing is that a lot of cool things people do, they do in a group with other people, so it doesn't sound so unique. Flying? You know lots of pilots, who have done many things you haven't. You probably know a lot more MIT grads than most people. I know a lot more race drivers than most people.

One of my biggest accomplishments is taking 5th in the 25 hour enduro, but right off the bat, the other four drivers on my team did that. Though I was the one who ran the team.

[tenacious-snail.livejournal.com]

Social circles do create odd norms. At one point, every Canadian that I had met was a Jewish lesbian. I believe that every MIT alum that I know who is over 30 has a pilot's license.

[wordweaverlynn.livejournal.com]

I'm trying to imagine a Canada populated entirely by Jewish lesbians. It would be cool.

[tenacious-snail.livejournal.com]

yes, yes, it would be. But they might need to relax their immigration policies if they want to maintain their infrastructure.

[quasigeostrophy.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I've always thought of myself as fairly unique, and I keep intending to do the same meme and everytime I'm thinking about it, I can't come up with ten things. They've got to be in my past somewhere. :-)

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

I can come up with a couple, but ten? That's like work! :-)

[davidlevine]

I was feeling pretty mundane and unadventurous too -- most of my friends' Ten Things lists involved celebrities, life-threatening adventures, or both. But when I thought about it, I did manage to come up with ten things that most of my friends probably haven't done. Note that just because other people haven't done it doesn't make it a brag -- it's just unique.

Part of the trick is making the description short enough to be intriguing. Too many of the lists I've seen go into too much detail, which spoils the joke.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Short descriptions are definitely better. :) (A radio interview with a tree?)

And I sure wouldn't brag about some of the uniquities I'm coming up with. Heh. The subject matter makes a big difference in whether it comes across as bragging.

[kimatha.livejournal.com]

Speaking of running and backpacking and hiking, how's that full frontal assault going?

(I could only think about three cool things for this meme. And some uncool ones, like getting a boil in my butt cleavage, and then having to get it lanced. And I only mention this here because I know you appreciate disgusting things.)

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Full frontal assault seems to be doing very little, sadly. Left foot improved a bit, right foot NOT. I run out of bromelain in another week or so -- probably time to talk to the doc again at that point.

Ow! Ow ow OW! Ow! :-/ I admit, if I had a boil I'd be way intrigued by having it lanced. But only if I could see it and if it were on less thin/sensitive skin!

[allanh.livejournal.com]

CJ, you're just going to have to trust me on this one: NONE of the people in my circle of friends are boring in the slightest. This includes you. (Ask Jen & Joe if you don't believe me.)

It helped me to build my list not by saying to myself "what I have done that others haven't?", but rather, "What are some of the things that make me a unique [and weird] individual?" That made the exercise incredibly easy all of a sudden.

In fact, it made the exercise SO easy, that I found I didn't stop until I'd had 21 things written down ... and in the context of "What makes Allan so WEIRD, anyway?", I decided they all should stay on the list.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Jen and Joe are DEFINITELY not boring. ;)

"What are some of the things that make me a unique [and weird] individual?"

Mmm, tasty thought-food. So far I have five items on my slow-growing Ten Things List; maybe this will help!

[allanh.livejournal.com]

Would it help if I offered to teach you how to make balloon animals?

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

No, but it would be fun!

[allanh.livejournal.com]

Let me know when you're ready. You provide diet soda and munchies, and I'll bring the balloons. :)

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

I don't have much free time for a little while, but this is a good time to ask: how big a block of time would this be? A couple of hours after work? A Saturday afternoon?

My brain is also attempting to morph it into a party idea. Everyone who comes teaches something, perhaps. I could teach -- or attempt to teach -- people how to cross one eye.

[allanh.livejournal.com]

I originally had this in mind as a one-on-one cheering-up sort of thing ... however, if you'd rather morph it into a party, that's fine. :)

Most people can take about an hour of balloons screeching and popping before they beg for mercy. (Your Mileage May Vary.) Being a pilot, I suspect you probably have a higher ability of concentration than most people, and I'm guessing you'll be one of the rare hour-plus people. ;)

...a.

why not?

[irascignavojo.livejournal.com]

> Most of all, I miss being able to think "I could do that some day."

Why shouldn't you?

Re: why not?

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Because my body is not healthy enough to do things like running, hiking, or backpacking any more. It might not ever be healthy enough again.

I'm rather sad about this. I used to think I had all my life to do the things I enjoyed; now I realize that maybe I only had the first thirty-six years, and those are in the past.