# Are you weird? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 7, 2012, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-weird/612113 "2012-02-07T19:58:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Brynda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e79b87/32.png) [@Brynda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brynda)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2012, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-weird/612113/1 "2012-02-07T19:58:20Z")
I recently met up with some old high school friends. Every single one of them was married (or had been) and had children (and some had grandchildren :eek:). Most of them were in elementary education, with a few working in their husband’s businesses and a few stay at home moms. It got me thinking about how different I am from the people in my area (mid-south, smallish town). So how am I weird (defined as unusual, in my area at least)? I am childless by choice. (rare) I am not a Christian. (very rare around here) I am engaged to a man 23 years my junior. (incredibly rare) I own my own business, rather than working in hubby’s business. (rare) How about you? How are you weird? ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2012, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-weird/612113/2 "2012-02-07T20:01:42Z")
I am weird in several ways, but to protect everyone’s delicate sensibilities, I won’t list them here 😃 ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2012, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-weird/612113/3 "2012-02-07T20:20:00Z")
Yeah, I’m weird for the people I grew up with, because I: Don’t have kids; Lived with my wife before getting married for years and never would have married except for medical insurance; Spend a lot of time overseas; Am an atheist; Moved to the city. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2012, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-weird/612113/4 "2012-02-07T20:20:59Z")
Not by New York standards ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2012, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-weird/612113/5 "2012-02-07T20:22:21Z")
I always thought of myself as weird, but somehow in the last few years my life has become disturbingly normal. Weird stuff: Raised without religion, happily continuing that way Went to grad school and FINISHED! Didn’t date a fellow American until I was 27 Worked a research job And yet now I’m normal… Married to another midwesterner House and two cars Cat Baby Quit my job to stay home with baby ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2012, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-weird/612113/6 "2012-02-07T20:39:49Z")
I’m weird. Never married. Not often dated (though would like to). Not a believer in any religion. I speak Esperanto. I draw a lot. And I still have my Legos. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2012, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-weird/612113/7 "2012-02-07T21:06:26Z")
I am not weird. ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Tyger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Silver\_Tyger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Tyger)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2012, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-weird/612113/8 "2012-02-07T21:14:47Z")
Ohhh boy, yes. Well, compared to my parents, I’m weird. Compared to some of my friends, I may be mundane. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2012, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-weird/612113/9 "2012-02-07T21:17:11Z")
No. That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it. (Congratulations on the fiancé by the way, **Brynda**. I’m so glad to see you happy again. 🙂 ) ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2012, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-weird/612113/10 "2012-02-07T21:26:52Z")
I’m still married to my first wife, who is the mother of all of my children, all of whom were born more than nine months after our wedding. That’s bloody near unique these days… ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2012, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-weird/612113/11 "2012-02-07T21:29:29Z")
> [@BrotherCadfael](#): > > I’m still married to my first wife, who is the mother of all of my children, all of whom were born more than nine months after our wedding. That’s bloody near unique these days… I bet she likes it when you call her “My first wife,” eh? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2012, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-weird/612113/12 "2012-02-07T21:32:53Z")
I think I’m pretty typical. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2012, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-weird/612113/13 "2012-02-07T21:34:49Z")
Not married, no kids, don’t date (and have almost no luck when I try to) No pets (but may inherit one of my mom’s cats, if I can bring her cross-country) No job (but no risk of starving anytime soon) Largely areligious No Tivo, no flat-screen TV Go curling two nights a week ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2012, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-weird/612113/14 "2012-02-07T21:36:28Z")
Demographically I’m probably pretty normal, but deep inside my soul I am very weird. For example, I routinely pretend to be various molluscs and cephalopods for my own amusement. Last night I said to my husband, ‘‘I’m as weird as a person can get without being creepy.’’ ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2012, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-weird/612113/15 "2012-02-07T21:37:08Z")
I am weird, mostly because I’m highly sensitive. A lot of people don’t understand my need for alone time every day, or how overwhelmed I can get by external stimuli, or how deeply I can feel even the slightest insult. I used to get mad at myself for it and try to fight it, but then I found out about being highly sensitive, and how it’s a genetic trait, and now I accept it, and those who care about me do, too, even if they still think I’m weird. And they do. ---
**Author:** ![F.Pu-du-he-pa-as](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c89c15/32.png) [@F.Pu-du-he-pa-as](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.Pu-du-he-pa-as)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2012, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-weird/612113/16 "2012-02-07T21:41:16Z")
Alice, I’m like that, too! Where did you read about it being genetic? I want to read that, too. ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2012, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-weird/612113/17 "2012-02-07T21:45:25Z")
> [@F.Pu-du-he-pa-as](#): > > Alice, I’m like that, too! Where did you read about it being genetic? I want to read that, too. I first learned about it from Elaine Aron’s book [The Highly Sensitive Person](http://www.hsperson.com/). It’s fascinating to me that not only do people have this (15-20% of the population), but it’s been found in all kinds of animals, as well. I can go through my family and pick out the other ones that have it, too- namely my mother and at least one of my children. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2012, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-weird/612113/18 "2012-02-07T21:47:57Z")
No I’m not weird. Everybody else is weird, I’m normal. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2012, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-weird/612113/19 "2012-02-07T22:00:46Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > No I’m not weird. Everybody else is weird, I’m normal. You and me both, baby. We should start a club. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Panic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/don_t_panic/32/398_2.png) [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2012, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-weird/612113/20 "2012-02-07T22:28:27Z")
All my socks are the same make and model. I never have mismatched socks! I’m a vegetarian. I past thirty and I don’t know how to drive a car. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-weird/612113.md?page=2)