An Atypical Life

I’ve had a lot of problems recently expressing something simple. I’m gonna take another crack at it:

• I don’t really like most anime, but there are some genres I like. I’ll gladly watch anime, live action, play, musical, or whatever to get my dose of genres like random/sketch humour and twisted sci-fi.
• I’m not a huge convention person. I prefer getting to know people one-on-one, and I find if you do that at a convention, you tend to alienate a lot of people. That said I can function at a convention when required as a speaker or attendee, but I tend to keep to myself.
• “Alternative lifestyle” stuff is just great. I’m finding I’m happier doing things more mainstream-y, while maintaining an affinity for the unusual, an affection for those who involve themselves in it, and my own brand of quirkyness which is somewhere inbetween cheese and schlock.
• I don’t enjoy programming big software projects, especially OO stuff and new languages. I respect all you language geeks and coders, especially because of my own past in it, but I’ve just lost the desire to learn new languages, or to actually program anything. I’m pleased to just take off the shelf OSS/COTS and go from there. I’d rather focus on the problem and describing it, working the requirements managing the project, and so on — y’all can enjoy putting that in code any way you like.
• I’m still happy doing plugins, little projects, customizations, scripting, and what have you. I tend to prefer lower level stuff - microcontrollers, Verilog/VHDL/FPGA work, assembly, C and the like. I understand objects, used to teach courses in them, and can help design an architecture — but I’ve officially jumped off of the programmer bandwagon.
• Design is good. I do recognize good design. I enjoy it and revel in it. I dislike designer elitism. I still am terrible at designing elegant things myself. I work best with creative folks who can turn my extensive requirements and logic into something aesthetically gorgeous.

Why has this been hard for me? Primarily because my own choices that some things are “not for me” has ended up coming across as disdain for others. Those who know me really well know that I don’t have disdain for anyone or anything, or any action. My housemates have been great in this regard. They know that when I get bitchy about something, that it’s really just about what I’d do if I were in their situation…not my judgement that their way of doing something is wrong or inappropriate.

“Separate but equal” gets far in this world, especially when extended to include cross-pollination and mutual acceptance, not just tolerance. I hope those of you who still read these pages accept my apology for any times I’ve made you feel uncomfortable, or for any who felt I was ever elitist in any way. I’m not better than you — I’m just better at making me happy than you are at making me happy! :D