Mindful Ramblings
Define yourself.
Published on May 27, 2004 By Unfairman In Philosophy
Everyone sees themselves as different from everyone else, to a certain extent, I think. I sure do, and I think my personality reflects that to a certain degree, though I hope I don't come off as vain or arrogant or "holier than thou." This was brought on, of course, by an incident at work.

I said something silly, or was being overly melodramatic about a mundane occurance or just being plain goofy (I don't exactly remember the incident), and one my coworkers gave me the oh-my-god look which can only be properly executed by teenage girls. I looked at her and said "Don't give ME that look, little girl." What makes me think I'm immune to the condescion of a 16 year old girl? Is it because she's generally a nice person and we usually get along pretty well? I don't know.

So, what makes YOU different? I've been trying to figure that out. I think the biggest attribute that I possess that sets me aside from the "crowd" is my compassion towards others and damnable empathy that I often can't seem to block out. It's as much a curse, sometimes, as a blessing. Hell, I couldn't even crush a mouse that was caught in one of our glue traps and was keeping me awake squeeking, because I would have undoubtably had nightmares. But, this also drives me to put the needs of others before the needs of myself, and very little makes my life feel as fulfilling when I get to do that (which some philosophers/psychologists say makes it a selfish behavior), even the common everyday things like making sure everyone has had a break who needs one before I go on my own. Hmmm...reading over that, it seems a little preachy, and it wasn't meant to be.

No, maybe it was. Maybe it should be. Here,dear readers, is your opportunity to tell us what makes you special, your opportunity to toot your own horn.

Let's make some noise.

Comments (Page 1)
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on May 27, 2004
I'm different because:

I'm 17 and have educated myself for the past couple years, including this year and next
I wear homeless gloves, even though I have a home
I can carry on a decent conversation with most any adult, as well as teens
I'm good at the whole eye contact thing
I don't care what people think of me, really
My mom is my best friend
I'll be a virgin until I'm married
I'm a one girl revolution
I'm going to go to Africa next year and change lives
I can play both music and sports
I'm extremely headstrong about things, and don't back down easily (I don't know if that really makes me that different, though)
I'm also the most indecisive person you'll ever meet (that is, if you ever meet me)
I'm white and have an afro
I'm both an extrovert and introvert
I love Jesus
And don't care much for "religion"
I have an irrational fear of our rooster
I'm going to have gone to all 50 states by the time I die
I'm not as emotional as most woman
I'm not big on movies or television

the list could go on and on, but I won't bore you any longer.

~Sarah
on May 27, 2004
Dude, I could write a novel....

Sorry, I don't even want to start. It's a looming task. Maybe I'm a little 2 different.

Trinitie
on May 28, 2004
Hmmmmm, that's a tough one. There are so many things. If I had to choose the ones that are my most defining qualities, I would have to say:

1. A complete lack of attachment to material possessions.

2. A lack of regard for others think of me.

3. The ability to see and analyze both sides of almost any issue or debate. (Even when one side is totally wrong or stupid)

4. The ability to radically alter my appearance at will. I have been called a chamelion on more than one occassion. I can look like a totally different person from one day to the next, to the point people who know me wouldn't recognize me.

5. The ability to "fit in" to any group or circumstance. I can carry on an intelligent conversation with people of any social, economic, educational level and seem to "belong" there.

6. When I want to, I can appear to be very dangerous and menacing although I am pretty laid-back by nature. Comes in handy when in dangerous areas. I can go anywhere, any neighborhood and not be bothered. I project an image of "best left alone" when I want to do so.
on May 28, 2004
This is so hard! AND such a good question...
I was going to say my intelligence, but there are many who are as or more intelligent than me.
I was going to say being a good friend, but again, there are many out there.
I could say because of my ridiculously extensive knowledge of the Simpsons, but I know that many other people would whip my arse.

I could keep going with these, but I think I am unique because of my own personal combination of reasonably ordinary personality traits. I'm not unique due to one thing but because of the dynamics between the different parts of my personality.

Or maybe I'm unique because I can't think of something which is unique to me?

Suz
on May 28, 2004
Nice question. where do i start?

1. I have opinions and im not afraid to tell anyone about them.
2. if im wrong i can accept that i made a mistake... most of the time.
3. i can sometimes be a jerk and i dont deny it.
4. most of the time i am able to control my dreams.
5. i've got friends i can trust with my life and more.
6. my friends can trust me with their lives.
7. im still following my dreams.
8. i dont let what people think about me affect who i really am.
9. i toot my horn whenever i want to... i let others toot their horn when they want to with little or no comment from me.
10. i know when to follow and when to lead.
11. I know what my limits are.
12. My enemies respect me.

there are a whole lot more of them but i think this is enough for now.
on May 28, 2004
Helix, dude, i think you completely missed the point of the question Though I guess the way you to chose to answer the question is something that makes you unique.

I wanted to mention something that connected this to Ted's article about Learning to Live with Mediocrity. I agree with his viewpoint, mostly, that most of us are mediocre and that we have to learn to deal with it at some point. But, as was the point of my article, there's always something that makes us really different from everyone else...can't remember where I was going with that. Maybe that was the point itself.

Anyway, guys, these are great! Keep em comin!
on May 28, 2004

I can wiggle my eyeballs back and forth so fast it looks like they are vibrating.

on May 28, 2004
I'm an android with a design heavily influenced by the DNA of the legendary Super Saiyan, Goku.
It might sound crazy, but everybody has beliefs that don't make sense, but are believed simply because others believe them as well.
on May 28, 2004
What makes me different? Hmm... I was actually sitting here earlier tonight trying to figure out what is so special about me to the point of being on the verge of tears.
But after reading your articles and others' replies I decided to give it a whirl.
Here goes:
I can have a conversation with anyone about anything and maintain eye contact the whole time.
My ability to genuinely empathize with any person in any situation.
I am not afraid of spiders or snakes - and when I see a stray spider I make it a point to pick him/her up and place him/her in a safe place.
I know more about football than most men.
I hate soap operas or any kind of televison for that matter.
Helping others less fortunate than me without expecting anything in return gives me some sort of personal fulfillment. (If I walk by a homeless person and I have change in my pocket I'll give him all of it plus a dollar or two).
If I break a nail playing hockey that's okay.
If I scrape my knee or seriously injure myself playing hockey that's okay too.
I am an avid metal head but "Band Of Gold" by Freda Payne is one of my favorite songs.
I always liked being different and never wanted to be popular or like anyone else.

Thank you for this opportunity to analyze myself and find the good things about me. I was having a pretty bad night until now.


on May 29, 2004
KowGirl-
I don't remember who said it, but it was someone famous and well respected: "Someone telling me that I made their day makes my day."

I hope my article made your day/night, because then it made mine, too.
on May 29, 2004

I was in a car accident on March third.

My 95 saturn was totaled, and I think the van that hit me was too. It was a woman driving who hit me at 50 mph right on the
driver side door.I don't remember 3 days so everyone has filled me in on what happend. My friend Justin and I were going to
work it was 6:00am and we were leaving our friend Chrises house near Baton Rouge. Apparently I tried to turn left onto the main
road from Chrises driveway, when a gold van rounded the corner and hit me so hard it litteraly nocked me out of my shoes. I wound up at Summit Hospital with a ruptured diaphram, collapsed lung, my stomach, small and large intestine were in my
chest, a fractured pelvis and tailbone, injured my rotator cuff, and my heart was shifted to the right. Apparently the seatbelt
caused most of the damage, but it broke and I wound up in my buddys lap in the passenger seat, he wasn't hurt just shook up.
There was a man in the van who got out and came to see if we were ok, I was unconsious and he kept trying to wake me, Justin
kept telling the guy to quit when finnaly Justin grabed the guy and told him if he touched me again he was going to break his
neck. When I woke up my mom, dad, sister and her husband, nephew, aunt, and Justin were all there. I don't realy remember too much I was on a heavy morphine drip, the doctors said I had a less than 1% chance of survival and that I probably wouldn't be able to walk for a while. A week and a half later I was chasing nurses around the hospital. On march 19th I was released from the hospital as a full recovery, in part,I believe, because I didn't have insurance, or medicade, and I am originaly from Texas. I applied for disability as soon as I got home but you automatically have to wait for 90 days to hear anything if you were involved in a car accident. I have also applied at Lamar Institute of Technology in Beaumont, Tx, because the doctors let me know i probly wouldn't be able to do physical labor for at least 1 yr. Which is just about all i know, I framed houses b-4 my accident. If I so much as bend wrong I could rerupture my insides and die within 24 hours and not even know I was dying. So that is just about everything that has happend to me in the past few months.
PICTURES OF MY CAR COMING SOON...







on May 29, 2004
"I feel different from other people. Really different. Yet whenever I have a conversation with a new person it turns into a discussion of what we have in common. Work, places, feelings. Whatever. It's the way people talk, I know, I share the blame, I do it too. But I want to stop and shout no, it's not like that, it's not the same for me. I feel different.
"I understand what you mean."
"That's not the right response"
"I mean what the fuck are you talking about."

I'd like to believe otherwise, but I'm just the same as everyone else, most likely.
on May 30, 2004
My fingerprints are unique
on Jun 01, 2004
I'm unique because I'm not going to burden you guys with the plethora of reasons why I feel I maintain an individuality...but then again....laziness isn't all that unique.

Weazel - HOLY SHIT!

on Jun 03, 2004

I bowl, I play basketball, I used to ride bulls, I skydive, I play chess, I own 500 CDs, from Johnny Cash to Metallica, Toni Braxton to Elton John... I've served in two different branches of the military, and have deployed to hostile fire zones with each...


show me someone else who's hobbies and interests are that eclectic, and I'll be impressed... but I'll still think that I'm unique...

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