| Wednesday June 26th 2002 That's quite the fearsome storm moving in on our friendly neighbourhood G8 protesters here in Ottawa. The sky's practically black, the plants outside look about ready to blow away, and I just heard a peal of thunder. Not the day I'd choose for standing outside waving cardboard signs around. I've always liked thunderstorms, except under particular conditions. I don't much care for them when I'm in a sailboat in the middle of a lake. Or a flimsy tent in an unsheltered campsite. This is starting to remind me of things I DON'T like about camping, so I think I won't pursue that subject any further just now, given I have two weeks of it coming shortly. I've had three of four people recently asking me how the dating scene is going (it's not), so I know the word is getting out. But at the same time, I think the edginess of single life is beginning to wear off now. I'm no longer feeling as eager to get rid of it. There's a lot of things to like about making all your own decisions and being free to do whatever you want, change whatever plans you want, buy the groceries you want, tidy the apartment when you want, watch whatever tv you want. And for the first time in my life I'm making some good female friends. It's an outlet I never had before, and provides special benefits you don't get with 'the guys'. It's good for the ego, cures lonliness like nobody's business, there's no strings or awkwardness attached, and you learn stuff about the female psyche - for instance, women are people too, for all you guys still figuring this out. Best of all, it goes a long way to reducing my shyness around women. I'm not wondering afterward whether I said something to make a fool of myself - who cares? We're friends, she'll be back :) I'm also learning that the term 'introvert' actually covers a wide range of personalities. I still consider myself one - I can get excited over pretty simple things, and I avoid the party-hearty scenes - but I don't have much trouble starting and maintaining conversations. I don't hide from the world. Maybe I'm one of the more quieter people in the room, but I've stunned a few people in the past who leaped to assumptions about me based on that. I'm running out of words to categorize myself with, and I think that can only be a good thing. |