Random Rants : Pissed tae th' gills

[Takhisis]

You can get lower-level jobs in the meantime y'know.

 

[Ajidica]

I agree with Tak. As much as I would love to end up working for the United Nations or Foreign Service, I'll probably spend several years doing clerical work for the government first.

 

[Wrymouth3]

Spoiler :

Well, in high school I was a pretty major player in our History Bowl team. First year, we won at the state level and went to Nationals in DC. Which we lost. Next year we got second place in state and I came second in the Bee, but most of the teams went to Nationals anyway. We lost again. There was another, smaller Bowl event, which admittedly we did exceptionally well in, to the point that we actually reset the score board because our score was so high. And in another news quiz competition hosted by some organization called the World Affairs Councils of America, we got first place in the state and went to Nationals in DC again, with predictable results, but it was nice visiting some foreign embassies and stuff on a largely paid-for trip. Granted, I was just one guy in a team that was usually four people, so I really can't claim full credit. Maybe just a third or two-fifths or so.

I'm also a mediocre shot with a recurve bow. And I've made a few decent dice cups out of walnut. But that's about it.

Like I said, not worth mentioning.

Phrossack, quizbowl, like chess and CFC is a great place to meet people with similar interests. Real history isn't all just facts and knowing random anecdotes that quizbowlers love to laugh at for some crazy reason. I will tell you that you seem like a very intelligent individual who just needs to gel together and find something you love. Your self-depreciation is not the way to go about things. Once you find something that you truly enjoy, I promise things do get better.

 

[sophie]

Well, thanks, but you don't know me very well. And I'm not fluent in God knows how many languages like you are, I don't understand IPA, I'm not as good-looking or likable as you are from what I've seen here, and I can't do history quite as well.

My fundamental problem is severe laziness. I procrastinate like mad, and while I could eventually maybe solve most of my problems by getting off my ass and working out, exercising, starting earlier on projects, reading, and so on, I simply don't have the willpower. The trouble with laziness is that it's a problem that destroys your ability to solve problems.

Well I'm certainly flattered that you think so highly of me, but this is the kind of stuff I'm talking about. Frankly it's silly to measure yourself against your peers like this. For one thing you're only going to drive yourself nuts, and for another it forces you to look at yourself through really narrow lenses and can certainly contribute to these feelings of self-loathing. Rather than looking solely at the things you don't know that others do, you should focus on the things that you do know. For example, you seem to know considerably more about armor than I ever could hope for (erroneous spelling aside).

As to laziness, I think there are two sides to this, one which may not necessarily apply to you, but certainly applies to others I've talked to who have said things like this (myself included). Often I find people complain about how lazy they are because it absolves them of guilt (or in some cases, further enables feelings of self-deprecation). This tends to tie into the "brilliant but lazy" characterization. You know the type, the "I was super smart in high school but I never did any homework and goofed off instead and got B's". For one thing, I find it to be a bit of a lazy excuse - a crutch to prevent oneself from having to knuckle down and do work. For another, I don't really think it's an accurate characterization of anything. The archetypal example of the "brilliant but lazy" would be like Leonardo da Vinci - perhaps one of the most gifted painters ever, but never seeming to be able to actually finish a project he began. This characterization isn't accurate, though.

Brilliance, to me, doesn't really have to do with talent. Leonardo wasn't a great artist because he was extraordinarily talented, if it did then the hundreds of art students who replicate Leonardo's works every year would also be considered brilliant. Brilliance has to do with creativity, interest, and curiosity. It's why a person who picks up the guitar solely striving to gain money and fame is never going to be a truly great guitarist. To bring this back, Leonardo was a great artist because he loved his craft. He was constantly inspired by what he saw around him. He wanted to do everything, to try everything, to learn something new. Likewise, a great guitarist is always being inspired by what he hears, he doesn't draw from just one source and replicate it endlessly, but he draws from a variety of influences, and constantly adds new influences. He isn't content to sit on his laurels because he loves his craft. Leonardo didn't have trouble finishing projects because he was lazy, but because he was always looking to do the next thing, he was constantly being distracted.

To (hopefully) wrap this up, intelligence isn't a matter of knowing facts. It's truly unfortunate that this seems to be how America and Americans frame intelligence. We praise Jeopardy contestants as brilliant for being able to regurgitate facts. Videos disparaging Americans' intelligence poses questions about "what year Lincoln freed the slaves" or "where North Korea is on a map". Standardized tests give essays where you need to present a minimum amount of facts. But this isn't what intelligence is. Dachs isn't "great at history" and wry or me or Lord Baal or anybody else on the boards isn't "better at history" because we know more than you. Dachs is good at history because he is interested in history. He wants to learn things. He reads a metric [feces]ton, he seeks to expand his knowledge and fill gaps where he feels knowledge is lacking, and he does this (presumably) not because he wants to show up some kid on the internet, but because he is legitimately interested in learning things.

So to bring this back to you (and to me; this is a summation of how I thought a year or two ago, and how I got over it), don't think so lowly of yourself. If you are inquisitive, creative, and interested in learning things, you are a smart person. I think an important realization is that you, in all likelihood, are not actually being lazy. I spend a lot of time reading football and baseball analyses and listening to others' opinions on films and books. While that may not be entirely productive in the interests of acquiring a job or succeeding in graduate school, I don't think I'd necessarily characterize that as lazy. I'm interested in those things, and I'm actively learning about them. That is what being an intelligent individual is all about, being curious and informing yourself about things, even if someone else might not necessarily view those things as useful or productive. If you can honestly sit down and say to yourself "I learned something new today," I would say that you had a productive day.

As to the other side of your above statement, the issue with "procrastination", which, distinct from "laziness" is the conscious avoidance of things which absolutely need to get done in favor of other things which seem easier, there is no easy way around this.I think the first step is to realize that this is a problem which literally everybody in the world faces, and to which there is no easy solution. There ain't no different angle, there ain't no trickety trick that's going to move that rock. You have to do it, and more importantly, you have to make yourself want to do it. If you're aware enough to know that you should be doing something and are actively choosing not to do it, then the hard part is over. Now you just need to will yourself to sit down and start doing it. It isn't called work for nothing.

 

[GenMarshall]

I just realized I am thoroughly undateable.

I've felt the same way for years. Though for me, it's the thought of approaching a woman I'm interested to be a fearful action for me ("what if she says 'no'?, what if she laughs at me and says I'm too ugly/fat.")

 

[sophie]

I've felt the same way for years. Though for me, it's the thought of approaching a woman I'm interested to be a fearful action for me ("what if she says 'no'?, what if she laughs at me and says I'm too ugly/fat.")

Then you wouldn't want to have dated such a cruel, maladjusted person in the first place. You move on and go talk to somebody else.

 

[GamezRule]

Learning how to face and handle rejection is the toughest part but failure makes success so much better.

 

[The_J]

Of course, if they start dating me for some reason they'll get to know me and realize I'm not confident.

But then it's too late .
If at that point there's any sympathy, then the first step is already done.

(and what Owen said, nice post)

I've felt the same way for years. Though for me, it's the thought of approaching a woman I'm interested to be a fearful action for me ("what if she says 'no'?, what if she laughs at me and says I'm too ugly/fat.")

And the other consequences are...?
Nothing. (mostly)
A stranger will not have any effect on your life.

 

[salty mud]

Seems I'm not the only one with women problems. I left it too late, again, to ask her out and someone did it before me. All the signs were there before and I hesitated too long. To say I want to bang my head off a brick wall isn't good enough.

 

[classical_hero]

I have a pimple on my armpit and it is rather frustrating.

 

[Kennigit]

#future unemployed problems

probably just had a pretty piss-poor impromptu phone interview.

 

[Farm Boy]

probably just had a pretty piss-poor impromptu phone interview.

Take comfort. Those usually are. ><

 

[ReindeerThistle]

#future unemployed problems

probably just had a pretty piss-poor impromptu phone interview.

Kennigit, not to worry. We learn by doing. You'll be all right!

 

[The_J]

I invited some friends to a board game evening.
They changed my plans, starting now later.
Thank you. Tell me at least.

 

[Takhisis]

That means you'll finish playing later, which means they'll stay over&#8230;

 

[hobbsyoyo]

Settlers of Catan makes good foreplay anyways.

I wish I had friends to play boardgames with.

 

[Antilogic]

Move to Boston!

 

[Arakhor]

I haven't played a boardgame in years.

 

[Takhisis]

Can't you buy some on the Internet? They should sell boardgames that come with friends willing to play them included in the pack.

 

[Antilogic]

More seriously, for those looking for a gaming group, check out hobby shops and board game shops in your towns. They sometimes have open gaming nights, like a once-a-week thing or something.

EDIT: Cross-post with Takh, but oddly the post still works.