Quirks

[mossrose]

I find that hard to believe...

Me, too.

[rogue06]

My quirk is that I have no quirks.

And yet you live in Canuckistan and you can't get any quirkier than that.

Which brings up the question can a quirk have quirks? smiley hmm.gif

[Zymologist]

Here's another quirk. I've tried explaining this to a number of people, and they don't usually seem to get my explanation.

I have a degree in electrical engineering because, at a basic level, I'm lazy. It's at this point that most people sputter in disbelief. "How ridiculous, you can't get an engineering degree by being lazy!"

Well, I did. Like I said, I picked the degree for not much more reason than it sounded cool. After I took a couple weeks to adapt to the environment of college (lectures, note-taking, quizzes and exams, etc.), I kind of got into a groove, and I realized something. This realization became more and more profound to me as I neared graduation; it also became easier for me to manipulate.

As an example, if you take a history test, or something similar, you either know the answers or you don't. You better study for it, because if you don't know the answers you'll fail.

Math and engineering aren't that way. All I had to do was pay attention in lecture, more or less do my homework, and I was good. No real studying beyond that was ever necessary. With a decent understanding of the concepts, I could figure out a whole lot, and I learned good test-taking strategies.* I'm really bad at studying, anyway; I'd much, much rather be given some problems to solve in my homework, solve them quickly and efficiently, and then go do something else. (Like play video games or read a book.)

So there it is...I'm an engineer because it catered to my laziness.



*Do the easy problems first. Flag harder ones, and come back to them. If it's multiple choice, don't leave the test until you've at least guessed at everything. If there's a bonus, only do it if you've done the rest of the test first--the bonus is a trap otherwise. Etc.

[Carrikature]

Here's another quirk. I've tried explaining this to a number of people, and they don't usually seem to get my explanation.

I have a degree in electrical engineering because, at a basic level, I'm lazy. It's at this point that most people sputter in disbelief. "How ridiculous, you can't get an engineering degree by being lazy!"

Well, I did. Like I said, I picked the degree for not much more reason than it sounded cool. After I took a couple weeks to adapt to the environment of college (lectures, note-taking, quizzes and exams, etc.), I kind of got into a groove, and I realized something. This realization became more and more profound to me as I neared graduation; it also became easier for me to manipulate.

As an example, if you take a history test, or something similar, you either know the answers or you don't. You better study for it, because if you don't know the answers you'll fail.

Math and engineering aren't that way. All I had to do was pay attention in lecture, more or less do my homework, and I was good. No real studying beyond that was ever necessary. With a decent understanding of the concepts, I could figure out a whole lot, and I learned good test-taking strategies.* I'm really bad at studying, anyway; I'd much, much rather be given some problems to solve in my homework, solve them quickly and efficiently, and then go do something else. (Like play video games or read a book.)

So there it is...I'm an engineer because it catered to my laziness.



*Do the easy problems first. Flag harder ones, and come back to them. If it's multiple choice, don't leave the test until you've at least guessed at everything. If there's a bonus, only do it if you've done the rest of the test first--the bonus is a trap otherwise. Etc.

I understand the explanation but I definitely can't relate. I was horrible at school. I'm an electrical engineer because that's what I started out as, and momentum is a dangerous thing for me sometimes.

I'm like you, though. I don't care about gadgets or electronics.

[TheWall]

I do have to agree with adrift that comicwise the 90s sucked for marvel.
Dc however had some bad stuff as well (superboy prime)
Nowadays the comics have little that interest me. The mcu is great. Dc has a great animation game. Except for teen titans go. That show is terrible.

[Zymologist]

I understand the explanation but I definitely can't relate. I was horrible at school. I'm an electrical engineer because that's what I started out as, and momentum is a dangerous thing for me sometimes.

I'm like you, though. I don't care about gadgets or electronics.

I was an ok student. I was very consistently a B student: I graduated with something like a 3.2, and I never got less than a B in any class...which meant that I got a lot of B's.

[KingsGambit]

I'm enjoying this thread and getting to know you all a little better.

I'll post something later tonight.

[Zymologist]

I think the mods know this, but here's another: I have 14 siblings. 3 adopted, 11 by birth. The 12 of us birth kids all have names that start with A. I have 6 older sisters and 1 older brother, and 6 younger brothers and 1 younger sister. My oldest nephew is older than my youngest brother. My mom has ~25 grandkids*.

Before anybody asks, no I don't keep track of birthdays, or ages. I keep pretty good track of their names.



*I'd have to count to be sure.

[Adrift]

I think the mods know this, but here's another: I have 14 siblings. 3 adopted, 11 by birth. The 12 of us birth kids all have names that start with A. I have 6 older sisters and 1 older brother, and 6 younger brothers and 1 younger sister. My oldest nephew is older than my youngest brother. My mom has ~25 grandkids*.

Before anybody asks, no I don't keep track of birthdays, or ages. I keep pretty good track of their names.



*I'd have to count to be sure.

Holy cow. You've mentioned previously that you often keep your opinions to yourself on this forum, that you don't really feel free to speak your mind. You think that might be tied to coming from such a large family where it's possible to sort of get lost in the crowd, and where you have to vie for attention from your parents, and even your other siblings?

[Zymologist]

Holy cow. You've mentioned previously that you often keep your opinions to yourself on this forum, that you don't really feel free to speak your mind. You think that might be tied to coming from such a large family where it's possible to sort of get lost in the crowd, and where you have to vie for attention from your parents, and even your other siblings?

Maybe. I've never really thought about it.

[KingsGambit]

My political views are all over the place but on balance I'd say I average left of center but with strong pro-life tendencies. Theologically, I'm probably slightly right of center.

Musically I like a lot of things, but mostly alternative/indie and rock. I'm trying to develop an appreciation for jazz as well. I don't watch movies. All I really watch on TV are baseball (Royals) and basketball (Kansas Jayhawks and some NBA).

I like barbecue and steak.

Um, I used to be in seminary but I dropped out to become a mail carrier. Basically, this means I dropped out of a Masters program to pursue a blue collar career, and I couldn't be happier with my decision. I am a rarity - a left handed mail carrier.

[Sea of red]

Well, obviously I was trained in physics and astronomy, so I guess you all know that. I'm more liberal on social issues but I've got strong disagreements with modern feminism in particular.

Movies? Not big on them. My musical tastes are mostly hard rock and heavy metal. To name a few: Rush, Dio, Judas Priest, Jeff Beck, and Pat Travers. I've seen so many of them live it's not even funny - I could've been a stalker for Dio. My favorite shows are Air Crash Investigations and Seconds From Disaster.

I also love animals and motorsports too.

[Cerebrum123]

I do have to agree with adrift that comicwise the 90s sucked for marvel.
Dc however had some bad stuff as well (superboy prime)
Nowadays the comics have little that interest me. The mcu is great. Dc has a great animation game. Except for teen titans go. That show is terrible.

The original Teen Titans was great though.

I rather enjoyed The Superior Spider-Man comic as well. I think that's relatively new though.

[Zymologist]

Holy cow. You've mentioned previously that you often keep your opinions to yourself on this forum, that you don't really feel free to speak your mind. You think that might be tied to coming from such a large family where it's possible to sort of get lost in the crowd, and where you have to vie for attention from your parents, and even your other siblings?

I thought about this some more last night, and what I've decided is that I still don't know.

None of my brothers and sisters, to my knowledge, have the same difficulty I have with expressing their opinions on things. I don't think that any of them have comparable fears when it comes to other people's judgment of them, opinion of them, etc. (I mean, I suppose that virtually everyone deals with this to some extent, but I definitely seem to struggle with it to an unusual extreme.)

It seems that what I struggle with is to at least some extent learned behavior, but I can't identify where I would have learned it from.

[Adrift]

I thought about this some more last night, and what I've decided is that I still don't know.

None of my brothers and sisters, to my knowledge, have the same difficulty I have with expressing their opinions on things. I don't think that any of them have comparable fears when it comes to other people's judgment of them, opinion of them, etc. (I mean, I suppose that virtually everyone deals with this to some extent, but I definitely seem to struggle with it to an unusual extreme.)

It seems that what I struggle with is to at least some extent learned behavior, but I can't identify where I would have learned it from.

I see. Well it was just an idea.