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BY JENNIFER SILVERMAN
Have you ever been dubbed “quirky”? I have – a great many times since adolescence.
Perhaps it was the fact that I drank coffee at age eight.
Maybe it had something to do with my adoration for Whoopi Goldberg at age ten.
The clincher might have been my tendency to discuss paranormal phenomena in high school.
In retrospect, I confess that the quirky label does in fact seem apropos.
Some folks may take offense at the eccentric adjective, as it conjures up images of people who talk to themselves at the grocery store, or patrons who sing Christmas carols aloud while perusing apparel racks in May.
Despite the negative connotations, I’ve always been rather fond of the characterization.
The older I get, the more potent my desire to embrace my authenticity – quirkiness and all.
I’d like to think that I’m over the societal pressure to assimilate, and instead opt to be an individual.
Afterall, what fun is fitting in, in the absence of whimsy, wackiness, or wonderment?
My quasi-anti-establishment sentiment brings me back to a previous post about app dating.
The blog, entitled, “App Dating is Akin to Space Exploration” inspired some interesting conversations, one of which centered around what a friend referred to as, “dating app weirdos”.
My pal mentioned coming across a profile in which the lad seeking a suitor was holding a plethora of live pythons. My immediate response to the display was of course, “ick”.
My next thought was that the tactic was rather short-sighted.
Sure, most ladies might do a double take before declining, but many a gal is fearful of things that slither.
Frankly, most of us would prefer our escort not be a collector.
To my surprise, my friend had an alternative take. In her view, the snake enthusiast’s approach was clever.
She acknowledged that it was indeed unlikely the majority of ladies would find snake guy appealing.
However, since he was so upfront about his snake mania, his profile will likely resonate with a fellow things-that-slither afficionado.
Voila – a match made in heaven, snake heaven that is.
It’s certainly unique, but you’ve got to give the guy credit for putting it all out there, and presumably (eventually) accomplishing his dating goals by being authentic.
How many of us are actually willing to be candid about our quirks?
Maybe our neighbors will think we’re nuts if they hear us serenading our succulents with Sinatra.
Maybe our habit of disinfecting restaurant booths with the Clorox wipes we keep in our handbag will result in social rejection.
Maybe our gal pals would disown us if they knew we tried on nine night-out outfits only to don the very first ensemble.
Isn’t it strange that we put so much effort into hiding such harmless habits?
Furthermore, aren’t tendencies like these rather endearing and funny?
Could it be that these “quirky” behaviors might enable us to better understand our loved ones on a deeper level?
I don’t know about you, but I find quirks far more fascinating than qualifications.
So, I intend to take a cue from snake guy and allow myself to be myself.
Singing Christmas carols in May is not quite my jam, but I have a hunch my succulents will enjoy Sinatra. Hey, it’s the little things, right?
Wait up! It looks like you’ve reached the end of the road on this particular blog post. You might be wondering where to go from here. May I suggest some delightful destinations, conveniently located on CuriousColumist.com?
THE BLOG MECCA – You’re on a reading roll. Why stop here? More quirky commentary on all sorts of subjects is just a click away.
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THE SUBSCRIBE BOX – Typically, most of us avoid being boxed in like the plague. Fortunately, this box is all about broadening horizons – no confinement in this castle of curiosity. (Simply give the link a click and then scroll down - it's the scenic route.)
THE CONTACT FORM – Sometimes, we have a hankering to drop a line. Maybe you work for Oprah Daily and are looking to hire an unconventional freelance lifestyle writer – hint, hint. (Hey, a girl can dream.) Maybe a burning question is beckoning you to buzz. Maybe you have a craving to comment. Regardless, feel free to get in touch.
Thanks again for stopping by!
