Done yesterday (20090621)

[mdlbear]

0621 Su (Solstice)
  * up 8ish; W=191; drugs, nose, teeth; coffee
  * 09:01-09:18 backups
  * pay bills
  * The YD made soup for dinner. Colleen and I filled in the corners on
    our own.
  ~ call Mom (voice mail)  She may be in VA now.
  * My 40th college reunion is over by now.  No way I could have gone.
  * bath; bed ~midnight

It was a quiet Father's Day yesterday; not much at all got done. I'm not going to worry about it much. The YD made gluten-free chicken noodle soup for dinner.

A friend seems to have taken the advice I gave her yesterday. Given the amount of advice on relationships I've been handing out lately, I'm afraid my self-image as a geeky old curmudgeon may have suffered irreparable damage. I have no idea what to replace it with. Comfort zone? What's that?

That's the trouble with fashion: as soon as you find something that fits comfortably, they stop making it and you have to go looking for another brand. Chi pants, Keen hiking boots, loner, curmudgeon, ... They just don't make 'em like they used to. Anyone else remember having to buy new shoelaces because they wore out faster than the shoes?

Comments

Geeky old curmudgeon with rare people skills?

[capplor.livejournal.com]

I understand the concept of comfort zone, but you need to remind yourself that being greater than you thought you were is a GOOD thing. (If not for yourself, this is a wonderful thing for Colleen!)

I always thought it was a bit silly that they had the running gag on ST:TNG with Data understanding people. Given his other processing and analysis capabilities, he SHOULD have been able to understand human interactions better, just by running a few numbers.

Re: Geeky old curmudgeon with rare people skills?

[mdlbear]

Humans are tricky -- complex, inconsistent, and highly unpredictable.

I'm not saying it's a bad thing, but it's still weird and uncomfortable -- I keep expecting something to blow up in my face.

Re: Geeky old curmudgeon with rare people skills?

[capplor.livejournal.com]

Probably something WILL blow up in your face at some time. Few are THAT good with people. It isn't the end of the world, and usually isn't the end of the friendship.

Does your uneasiness mean if you define yourself as a geeky old curmudgeon WITHOUT people skills, then you wouldn't see any kind of relationship problem as partly your own fault if it happened?

But some things about people are VERY predictable.

Re: Geeky old curmudgeon with rare people skills?

[mdlbear]

No, it would still be my fault. What makes me uneasy is knowing that I have some control over things, but no idea what I'm doing at any conscious level.

[saffronrose.livejournal.com]

I remember Chi pants. Even got a pair, non-slacks-wearing me, before I went out of their size range. Even know why they went away.

[wyld-dandelyon.livejournal.com]

No one is defined by one label. Geeky Old Curmudgeon is just one label. It's doubtless still part of you, but only part, just as father is only part, and musician is only part, and husband is only part, and so on.

You've been working hard at losing the "socially clueless" label; if people are asking for your advice, that's a sign that the work is, well, working.

Good for you.

[mdlbear]

Thanks.

Yeah, I've been working on losing that label, but it still feels odd not to be wearing it. Takes some getting used to, kinda like when I started wearing bifocals.

[septemberlilac.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I remember the shoes outlasting the shoelaces. (Sigh.) As for the self image: You could be a geeky old curmudgeon who gives relationship advice on the side - everyone needs a hobby, right?

[mdlbear]

*laughs*

[chaoswolf]

Just like chain mail. I'm still chain mail inept by comparison to my darling selkit, but I'm working on getting better. My dice bags are looking a lot more like dice bags and less like mittens.

Shoelaces

[chaoswolf]

Yep. Remember that pair of Stanley steel-toed boots I own? Had to replace the laces 3 times. Hated that. First pair, took a lighter & melted the frayed ends. 2nd pair snapped in half, third pair became unusable after the mugging.