Here Goes Something

A little bit of an intro about myself before I get started. You'll learn a lot more about me if I manage to keep this little blog going, but everyone needs an introduction into the mind behind the words before it's anywhere near readable.

Many of you who will read this will be people who know me and are, presumably, interested in what I have to say about the world. Others will just stumble upon this little blog for no good reason. Of the former, you might have gotten to know me or not. However, I guarantee you that you do not know me perfectly (who would?). A good friend of mine in high school marveled that I have many layers, which I often do not show for long periods of time. This high school, for those of you who know of it or care, is Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy.

So, I am a dork. That is your first bit of info of the day. Second, I like being a dork. Part of the stigma of being a smart, confident, resourceful person has been lifted in society by television shows like Chuck (which has remarkably low viewership) and The Big Bang Theory. Part of the real stigma that I should be feeling was never really brought to my attention since I switched schools frequently in my younger years and went to a dorky high school, where I was not the smartest by far. This changed drastically in college. I went to a "highly selective" school (UIUC), but I never really felt the competition in my chosen field of study (Psychology). I coasted through 3 years of undergrad and ran away from the corn fields of central Illinois.

Where did I run to? The only large center of activity with a plethora of jobs where I could just grunt and basically get the job: Chicago. That is where I am now. "Exciting!" you might say. "Not really," I, hypothetically, reply. But it gets the looming student debt and other bills paid. I'm working at a large university as a research assistant (see: glorified secretary) in Child Psychiatry. And, honestly, I could have done a lot worse. It's not my dream job, but it certainly boosts the resume/CV, and I am constantly reminded by the media that I should be happy I have a job at all. I'm looking for a new job.

Other life pursuits that should be noted:
1) I very infrequently swing dance/lindy hop/blues dance/line dance/shag/balboa. I have taught some of these genres of dance since I was 15. I'm damn proud of my dancing. I whine because dancers like to stay out late and I like to go to bed early.
2) I have a dog and a cat.
3) I want to go to grad school in Clinical Psychology. I will dork out about psychology research I find on the internet.
4) I am hardcore. Oh, wait. Not really. But a couple years ago I dropped 40 pounds. Weight loss and maintaining a healthy lifestyle is always on my mind.
5) I really wish I could make a fantastic pun about the title of my blog making a list of pros and cons for different sorting techniques. But, even if I could, that pun is best left alone.
6) I just bought a bike and will be commuting all summer and fall to work via two wheels and a bit of molded Schwinn steel. We'll see how that turns out.
7) I sing. And love music. I leant my guitar to my brother five years ago.

So, in the style of my life, I will be using song and experience to comment on the world. I will try, in true Grey's Anatomy style, to title my posts in the format of a song title or band name, but obviously this will not always be the case. So, think of my posts as also a "recommended listening" section as well. I must confess that at almost any given moment there is a song lyric and accompanying melody going through my head, usually related to my mood or experience.

That's pretty much a big wrap up of personal characteristics that I can think of at the moment. Please sit back, enjoy the show, and comment when you feel the need. We're all on this bumpy ride together, so we might as well enjoy it together.