IdEnTiFyiNg MaRkErS

It's really true when they say things were so much simpler in the olden days, and by that, they mean when they were in their younger days. Remember when the filtering factor on the playground consisted of, if you liked playing the same game--be it tether ball, four square, cherry bombs or kickball? Or maybe you both shared a passion of collecting baseball cards or jumping over ditches or out of swings? Yeah, kids filtering factors are much more straight on: are you fun? Great, welcome to the club! Somewhere along the line, the way we judge goes way off course and it kind of makes me want to scream.

On Monday I went to a combined FHE activity (I know, miracles never cease. They enticed me with free pumpkins.) and picked a table with a few people I knew and where I could attempt to a) get to know them better and b) get to know new people. This plan kind of fell apart when we all got distracted carving pumpkins and people began wandering away to socialize. I was contentedly working on a pumpkin by myself and somewhat participating in conversation.

Towards the end of the night, a person I'd briefly met came up and started chatting with me. We chatted a bit about random things and eventually (I don't remember how) it came up that I hate when within the first few questions, people in D.C. ask when the meet you is, "What do you do?" I think the person got a little offended when I said that because they retorted, "well how else are you suppose to get to know someone?" to which I responded, "Well, I just found out that you like snowboarding, that you grew up in California and you really like the beach... I think that says a lot more about who you are than your job necessarily does." They ended the discussion the a hurmph and turned to one of my friends to continue a cordial "get to know you" discussion. Within two questions asked, "So what do you do here?" I secretly grinned because I knew my friend--after looking for almost a year-- took a job they didn't want. Bills are bills, right?

There seems to be a traffic jam in my mind as of late. On the one hand, I've made it a rule to never date lawyers. I've had to many bad experiences with their winning the argument and picking apart what I say instead of listening to what I'm trying to say, regardless of statute blah, blah, blah and phrase nuances. It drives me nuts. On the other hand I just don't like that in D.C. (and somewhat the entire east coast), everyone puts so much stock into occupation. They live by it, breath it and it is a top five get-to-know you questions. And aren't I doing the same thing when I say I'll never date a lawyer? ah... dilemmas.

I think I'll just make it a goal to ask if people like playing kickball or sledding. After all, I did want to be a professional kickball player when I was little... I think that says a lot about me, don't you?