This post is more for me than you. I’m still playing around with that idea of my “brand.” Here is a list of seventeen descriptions of Neilochka, this blog’s writer. Could you do me a favor and pick the three that best describes this person? I am curious if your perception matches my own sense of reality. Don’t be shy about saying that I seem like a neurotic mess, if I come across that way. You can always email me rather than commenting if that makes you more comfortable.
1) Super-confident storyteller who knows exactly how to manipulate you with words.
2) Anti-social grouch who finds most of you hypocritical and annoying.
3) Idealistic sentimentalist who cries at blog posts and loves to unite others in “holiday concerts.”
4) Gay friendly dude who likes old musicals and talking to platonic girlfriends about their shoes.
5) Bullshitting male who enjoys nothing better than chatting with “the guys” in a coffee shop.
6) Polite momma’s boy who is “respectful” of women.
7) Flirt who dreams of f**king most of the women he has met on their kitchen tables.
8 ) Artsy bohemian who walks around wearing a fedora.
9) Bookish, pretentious twit.
10) Imaginative, head-in-the-clouds guy who can never find his own keys or his own underwear.
11) Screwed-up neurotic, afraid of his own shadow.
12) Star Trek-loving dork
13) Ambitious take-no-prisoners go-getter.
14) Social-climber, constantly on the look-out for the “cooler” people.
15) Class clown.
16) Confused and aimless.
17) Loving ever minute of life!
I’m really late in getting here and found the comments really interesting. Neil, what I want to know is… Did you get what you were looking for out of this post and subsequent comments? Did any comments shock or offend you?
What an interesting experiment.
Stubborn
Brenda — Actually, it was very interesting to me. It also gives me a whole lot of ideas for future posts.
I don’t think I present a false impression of myself online, although there is always a difference between what is in my mind and what it is I actually do in real life. I was not offended by anything. I am more touched that someone would play along.
I’m also interesting if other people have as much trouble defining themselves in simple terms, as if you were a character in a movie, or a “brand.”
I don’t care what Avitable says about you, Neil. I like you anyway.
He’s got a point, though.
I was careful to not read anyone else’s comments before writing this down:
3.
10.
16.
With 6. close behind.
Wow, I guessed exactly same as post modern sass.
Neil, whatever you’re doing you’re clearly very popular at it, since I’m chiming in as commenter #57!! I wish I had your popularity
)
I have never seen you wear a fedora, but I wish you would wear one more! That would be my guess.
From A to Z, here is how I perceive thee:
A–adorable
B–blunt
C–creative
D–descriptive
E–eloquent
F–friendly
G–good-hearted
H–honest (truth quotient: 10%)
I–ill-at-ease/insecure
J–jocund
K–kooky
L–lovable
M–mensch!
N–neurotic
O–obscene
P–predicable
Q–questioning
R–resistant
S–splenetic
T–true-blue
U–uxorious
V–vexatious
W–woolgatherer (n.)
X–X-rated
Y–yammerer (n.)
Z–zany
Toronto Pearl — such a Jewish mother!
My first instinct is 16. Though you are a bold, bold man for asking people to do this. So add that in there as well.
2, 3, and 6. and i mean that in the nicest possible way. i’m rather antisocial myself.
Number 2 would be me not you.
Hmmm this is interesting; I read all of the comments, yours included and I am really surprised at the number of people who perceive you as an approval or affirmation seeker. Maybe it’s because I haven’t known you for long or interacted with you for years on end but I think you’re fairly confident in who you are and what you believe regardless of outside support or encouragement. And this is where I get possibly a little too personal because again it isn’t as if we’re life long buddies but I honestly believe the state of flux your marriage is in and has been in could be coloring not just your own self perception but also the image projected to others; meaning that having those loose strings hanging out there without a (public) resolution in site it gives the impression that you’re willing to just hang in limbo instead of taking definitive action to, ‘get on with your life’ but (to me) the reality is that you are still the same person with one area of life in chaos rather than a generally meek person living a life thrust on you rather than one of your choosing.
Lordy majority, I sure do like to hear myself talk at 430 in the morning when I need to be asleep. All that said, I think you’re a good kid, Neil. And I don’t think you need to hear that from me to make your day any better or worse than it would be otherwise.
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Well, I just came across your blog via my good friend over in “Norwindia.” So I’ll have to check back, maybe dig into the archives before I can determine what my impressions are. First impression: intriguing to say the least!!