People often recognize that I do not approach life in a conventional
way, sometimes calling me eccentric or other names of dubious distinction.
The following topics offer insight about a few of the things in my life.
Cooking
I frequently and willfully experiment
in the kitchen, using an
eclectic mix of styles and fresh ingredients. I make some of my
meals quickly, and have found that it is possible to make a great
meal in 15-20 minutes, but sometimes will gladly spend an hour or
make something special. Much of what I make is based around
aromatic spices, fresh oregano and basil, onions, peppers,
garlic, and mushrooms. Fresh fruits and vegetables are used
plentifully as seasonal abundance allows.
Dating
I don't date very often. It's not that I'm opposed to dating; in
fact I wish I could find a good woman to date who lived near me.
I know the sort of woman I'm looking for but women in my area are
generally disappointing.
Most women in northern Virginia are timid and seem to be caught up in
the illusion of image, as propagated by the nearby political culture of
the Washington DC area. Democratic politics suggest that the highest
values are those which are ordered and predictable, suggesting that
value can be created by turning the open potential of humanity into a
regulated human machine. Sadly, most women in this area forsake their
individuality so they can play roles in hope of satisfying the
expectations of others. In this way, people here exhibit a more pernicious
falsity than people from Los Angeles because in L.A. people will openly
tell you that they're fake, while here the phonies lyingly announce
their unique individuality and supposed genuineness.
Exercise
I'm training for my first triathlon which I intend to run this summer.
I hadn't run for over ten years, but have my mile time under six minutes
now. I can bike at high speed for hours, so that's not a problem.
I round out my exercise with heavy weight lifting. I have 11% body fat
which is likely to drop a bit as the upcoming spring weather allows my
training to shift from a majority of weight lifting to outdoor endurance
work.
Honesty
The only relationships I can have with people are honest ones, but
I've found that most people aren't used to this and are afraid of
being real. I'm not interested in games or decoding dissimulation,
so if people want to lie to me I neither question them nor put up any
resistance. Eventually the mendacious ones reveal what they are and
I promptly remove them from my life.
Reading
I own books but I try to read as little as possible. I have an endless
supply of unique thoughts that come as long as I do not crowd them out
by depending on external sources for ideas. Consequently I focus my
reading on topics about which I know little or nothing, then I use the
book as a stepping stone. Schopenhauer aptly articulates the correct
view on reading when he writes
The art of not reading is a very important one. It consists in not
taking an interest in whatever may be engaging the attention of the
general public at any particular time. When some political or
ecclesiastical pamphlet, or novel, or poem is making a great commotion,
you should remember that he who writes for fools always finds a large
public. - A precondition for reading good books is not reading bad ones:
for life is short.
Restaurants
I enjoy good food of all sorts, especially favoring Italian, Japanese,
Thai, and Indian cuisine. The most useful thing about the diversity of the
Washington DC area is the many excellent ethnic restaurants available.
I recommend and endorse several of these in the Northern Virginia area.
Society
I live a monk's existence. Society doesn't have much to offer me
that is relevant to my spirit or interests, so when I'm not working
I spend most of my time alone in my quiet suburban home, composing
and recording music, writing, consulting, or working on various
projects I dream of. I leave the house mainly to go food shopping,
exercise, or to see friends.
