Sunday, December 13, 2015

Preconceived Notions

Taylor Fox and I... and a well timed photo bomb.

   Unfortunately sometimes you don't know how to or cannot tell people just what you think of them. At least for me, so many things go unsaid and having a blog is a good way to unsay the unsaid... say that which is not said... right? Something like that.

   Too often do we have preconceived notions about people and things. I am absolutely no different and I'd like to say that I am usually a fairly good judge of character. I am wrong from time to time but not so often. So you can see where I would develop preconceived notions about people frequently with little thought as to how the person really is or is not.

   I had not met Taylor Fox yet, not really, but we were in orientation together when I came to Korea. I must admit that preconceived notions were formed quite quickly in my mind about her. Here is a tall, very pretty, girl who is educated, and well liked (read popular). (Please keep in mind that I say all this about Taylor in a completely non pervy, non creepy, non romantic sort of way. I hate that I feel I have to explain that but a guy really can think a girl is pretty without wanting to be anything more than a friend.) It wasn't hard for me to imagine, and put a tag on, who she was as a person. Unfortunately that tag was negative, but well deserved by most women with said attributes. So my tag stuck until by some random chance we struck a small conversation.

   It is not uncommon for girls (seemingly) like Taylor to either pretend I do not exist entirely (which I am completely fine with honestly) or get the absurd notion that I am talking to them because I would like more than friendship. So striking up a conversation with Taylor was a bit like pulling a tooth I must admit. But not wanting to be impolite, I endured. To my surprise Taylor was quite different than what I thought. I don't really remember what we started talking about but I do remember her being really fun to talk to and she never made me feel awkward like other girls that I so mistakenly categorized her with.

   To be honest I really think Taylor would have been the last person I would have spoken to if she had not spoken to me. Which is sad to think about. Because not only is Taylor a really fun person, but she did something for me that she probably doesn't even realize she did. She restored something in me I had lost somewhere. Some of that cynicism I had about women with her attributes subsided when she simply treated me as a normal human being, something that some other girls like her seem to be incapable of. We don't hang out, we don't talk on a regular basis, but none of that really matters. She did a lot that I can't put into words. I can say with confidence that Taylor is a really good friend regardless of how often we talk.

   So my point is that Taylor surprised me very much. That surprise did a lot for me that I can never really put into words and I could never truly thank her for. All without her seemingly even noticing at all. Some people have a big, positive, impact on those around them without even trying and those kinds of people are ones to remember. Taylor will go off and continue to impact people's lives through the Peace Corps soon and I am in awe of how fitting that opportunity seems for her. If she can only impact people in the way she impacted me, then she is doing the world a favor.

   Thanks Taylor and I wish you luck in the Peace Corps. You are a deserving person for such an honorable opportunity. You are a role model and a friend no matter how many miles away.




  There are many other people I could and probably should write about. Perhaps some day I will. Taylor just seemed to be on my mind after this last TaLK trip. Speaking of which, I will write about said trip soon.

   Also, I am approaching 100 blog posts soon. It kind of feels nice. I am, as you may have been able to tell, not very good at keeping up with personal projects. I'm not good at keeping up with routines in general. I don't know why. One hundred blog posts really isn't that much considering how long ago I started this but to me it is a nice little mile stone. Thanks to all those who read and I hope you continue to read for hundreds more.

Thursday, December 3, 2015

Snowy Yecheon



   Just a pointless video with me overly amazed about snow. Just thought I'd upload.