Bonus Points!

Sometimes in life, just to make things more interesting, you give yourself bonus points for various daily activities. Some people may actually have a numeric system while others just give themselves a pat on the back. I'm of the belief that everyone does this to some extent or another, whether they realize it or not. Just for fun, here's some things I give myself bonus points for on a daily basis:

- Pulling in the driveway the instant a song is ending
- When switching lanes, not hitting any of the little reflective bumps in the road
- Hitting the "happy fun bump" at the Airport and Whitesburg intersection
- Successfully throwing trash into the trash can from a long distance
- Any and all "jinx" moments
- Remembering a name of a celebrity/place/movie/thing before anyone else in a group can think of it
- Having the right amount of milk in a carton for exactly 1 glass of milk
- Kicking my shoes off and having them land where I want them to, bonus points for them landing upright
- Being the first to comment on something on the internet
- Getting the absolute closest parking spot to where I'm going
- Successfully passing a group of really annoying cars that are difficult to get around
- Avoiding speed bumps

As you can see, I get most of my points while driving. What are some silly/pointless things you give yourself credit for doing?

"Can you see by your lonely light of day"

I'm sitting in Atlanta Bread Company, drinking coffee, listening to the Up in the Air soundtrack, doing nothing. Every now and then I'll check out digg or/film or the obvious facebook. Nothing is happening. The internet is boring (although this page on Panda cubs in China is pretty dang awesome). I think some kids in here are playing tag. Is that allowed? I keep feeling the wind rush over my ear buds as they pass. If I was studying I may be annoyed. I'm not studying though. It's creating more of an atmosphere than anything.

I like Panera Bread and other coffee shops better than Atlanta Bread Company, but you miss something in those places. This place has variety. I think it may just be the side of town that it's on. Southeast Huntsville is slightly less than diverse. I enjoy the diversity. I don't enjoy it for any particular reason... it's just nice. ABC is currently filled with a number of college students, an indian couple, two older black ladies talking, a father and daughter of asian decent talking about school together, an emo couple quietly eating and not talking with each other, an older wealthier (in appearance) white couple talking, a homeless man hanging outside, an older interracial couple in the corner, and then that huge family of kids I was referring to that were playing tag. And then there's me: 20-something white sweater-wearing male with a macbook and a cup of coffee with ear buds in typing away at a blog. Hah. As I stereotype people, I become my own stereotype. Nice.

Variety truly is the spice of life. I'm more comfortable around people just like me but I love being alone amongst people I'm completely different from and cannot relate to in the least. Maybe it's because I love stories so much. When you're surrounded by middle-class/upper-class white people, the stories may be slightly different, but there is going to be some relatability between everyone. Here, the stories are completely different. Every person grew up in different situations, different places in the world, speaking different languages, having different world-views. Chances are ridiculously high that I won't ever learn any of those stories. That's fine though; I may be less interested if I knew the stories. Then again, maybe stories have nothing to do with why I enjoy being around people I'm different from. Maybe I'm just talking like I know what I'm talking about. Hmmm?? The probability is high.

As much as I enjoy being out and about in society on a Saturday with friends, being alone in society is just as nice. There was a segment in Up in the Air where Geroge Clooney was convincing a guy that your favorite memories involve being with other people. I completely agree. I'd go a step further and say that most things I actually remember involve me being with other people. I probably won't ever remember specifically sitting here in Atlanta Bread Company on February 6th, 2010. It definitely won't stick out. I will remember the atmosphere though. I will remember, even if it's subconscious, what this place feels like. When you're with other people, you can't soak up your surroundings. There are pros and cons to each scenario. I think we need both. At least I know that I need both.