I love learning about people’s quirks. Everyone has a million little things that make them unique. So I thought we would explore that a little further this month. I asked the princesses to talk about a unique passion that they have. What something that we each voluntarily study and fixate on, that would seem odd to other people? The answers will be fascinating.
I think I always feel like I like things that most people around me don’t. I constantly find I’m the only one who loves to quilt, watch PBS, go to the airport/fly, and eat the same 3 ingredient pasta for dinner every night. Most of my friends don’t listen to Broadway musicals on Pandora every day, all day like I do, or write letters to keep in touch with people as often as I try to, and it isn’t often I meet someone who loves the magic of spreadsheets (or math) as much as me. Even just last month I started noticing whether or not people have hooded eyes like mine, a trait I didn’t know existed before, and I honestly have no idea how many other people notice that. So I guess what I’m trying to say is there are a ton of things that people around me don’t notice that I do, but I also know that I am not unique in noticing or liking these pursuits, because there are plenty of people in the world who do like to quilt, appreciate math, and watch PBS. But I’m okay with that, because I don’t want to like things just because other people do or don’t. I like what I like, and whether or not my friends appreciate the greatness that is Poldark on Masterpiece, only means that they’re spending their time on something else I don’t appreciate – (adult animation, psychology, Breaking Bad, fine dining). Finding people and (eventually) making those connections is what makes life great!
My unique interest is strange indeed. I’m not sure when exactly this started, but for a couple years now I’ve become intrigued by public bathrooms and how they are decorated. I know that this sounds really weird, but hear me out. Have you ever been in a restaurant that had a really nice atmosphere, and great food, and then when you went to use their restroom its got cracked doors and a dirty floor? It’s so disconcerting, and doesn’t make sense when the place is really nice. And other times, people seem to have put so much effort into making their bathroom seem more like a relaxing spa than a restroom, that you feel like you don’t want to leave. I find these bathroom choices endlessly fascinating. I’ve taken pictures of different restrooms that are either super awkward, or really nice. When restaurants or coffee shops continue the same decorating theme that is present in the public area in the bathrooms as well, it makes me happy inside. I recognize that this is not normal, but I don’t care at all. I’ve even considered starting a mini blog about different restrooms I encounter throughout my life.
Unusual interests? Somehow I feel like my whole life is filled with unusual interests. Can we just say: anything about the Middle Ages? Medieval history, medieval philosophy, medieval theology, medieval daily life… basically it is all my jazz, to a degree not mimicked by the average person out there in the world. But I feel like I already write about that enough on the blog. I mean, I must have other interests and things I notice, right? Well, I had to think about it a bit, but I would definitely say one thing I also notice is goats. Goats are the best. I consider them my totem animal. Basically if there is a goat around, I feel pretty happy. I also am really good at sniffing out free samples. In my book, samples are always exciting, even if there for something you wouldn’t normally want… I mean, come on, IT’S FREE. Whether it is in a grocery store or on the street, not a single sample goes by without me snapping it up. I’d say that is a pretty good talent. So yep, those are my things I guess: the Middle Ages, goats, and samples.. and basically any cute dog in the vicinity.
When I was in 6th grade, we had to do a presentation. It could be on any topic we wanted—complete student choice. One classmate did his on soccer. My hippie friend chose “tolerance” as her topic. From an educational perspective this seems like a great idea, but my teacher may have found herself regretting it when I chose the life and infamy of the serial killer Ted Bundy for my special interest project. At the age of 12 I had already read several books about Ted Bundy, including Ann Rule’s true crime biography of him, The Stranger Beside Me. I made a powerpoint complete with black back ground and that dripping-blood font (red, of course) and had a slide for each victim that detailed what he did to them.
My fascination with Ted can be traced to my own mother, who was a student at the University of Washington during the same years when Bundy killed or stalked multiple students there. She owned the books about him and allowed me to read them, thus sparking my odd captivation. I think I just found it intriguing because it had happened so close to home. It was also just a fascinating story of an ingenious socio-path who cleverly avoided detection for years, while committing numerous (perhaps hundreds) rapes and murders. Somehow, 6th grade me thought the whole creepy story was undeniably cool. More than one parent complained when they heard about my presentation, but I think I’ve quelled any doubts about my sanity people had at the time by growing up into a relatively normal human being!
These days I don’t spend too much time thinking about Ted Bundy or any other killers, but I’ve retained some interest in criminals and their strange compulsions. For example, in high school I was a big fan of Dateline’s “To Catch a Predator.” To be honest I don’t have a lot of unique interests or passions…nowadays I guess I’m a pretty vanilla person, but a vanilla person with a quirky childhood if nothing else!