Nerd – Page 4 – It Is Trish

IRL vs. Online Persona

October 24, 2016TrishLeave a comment

Recently, a person who mostly knows me through the Internet called me an Enneagram 7. For those not well-versed in the Enneagram, a 7 is a personality that is FUN and ENERGETIC and ALWAYS MOVING. I (virtually) laughed in this person’s face and said I am a 4, the personality that is MOODY and EMOTIONAL and DEEP. This person was shocked and argued with me, and I realized…my internet persona IS a 7.

On Facebook, I intentionally try to keep things positive. There is some internet pressure there, to show the best of your life, but I do try to keep things real with silly selfies or self-deprecating jokes. But even the “realness” is framed optimistically. I rarely complain on Facebook, or get into arguments, or share the deep things I’m thinking about. I’ll occasionally get into those things here on my blog, but on Facebook? It’s curated to be a safe, fun place for people to mentally and emotionally check out.

I am fine with this, and people who know me well know that this is not every part of me. It’s not even the most important part of me! But then there are the people who met me once or twice and then only keep up with me via Facebook. I don’t really mind that they don’t know me, so long as our relationship stays online. But when we meet in person? I’m suddenly all “Let’s stay in and watch five hours of TV and then discuss what emotional themes struck us especially hard and why” and they’re like, “Um, jokes?”

This is why I am very skeptical of online relationships and why, for me, online dating is IMPOSSIBLE. I cannot meet someone as a 7 and then reveal myself to be a 4. Especially because, as a 4, it hurts SO MUCH to see someone start to like a version of myself that isn’t actually me.

But I have to say, I like my online persona, and I’m not going to change it. I want Facebook to be feel good and entertaining. I’m comfortable with the knowledge that the people who matter to me know me beyond the Happy Fun Times version available online.

What about you? Do you have a split personality? How do you feel about it?

Sunday Summary #44

October 23, 2016October 18, 2016TrishLeave a comment

1| If you didn’t already see this, watch it now! America has its flaws, but it’s still pretty great. Thanks, Canada!

Meet My Fanfiction Joe Biden

October 11, 2016October 4, 2016Trish2 Comments

Hint: He’s really into ice cream.

My friend Elizabeth has a wonderful habit of sending me pictures of Joe Biden with “made-up” scenarios and conversations attached. I say “made-up” because no one really knows the reality, and I choose to believe that life is exactly as she has described it. They’re too good to keep to myself, so with Elizabeth’s permission, they can live on this blog forever. Enjoy!

(Click the picture to see the in-context Twitter page from which they came.)

*phone rings*
Joe: It’s Barack! Everyone say, “Hi, Barack!!”
Costco people: Hi, Barack!!
Joe: Hey Barry, what’s up? Oh, not much, just here at the NEW COSTCO, YEAH BABY!! [pause] mm-hm. Yes, I can pick up some chocolate babka for Michelle’s dinner party, no problem. This is literally the best thing; they gave me my own card and everything.
*hangs up*
Okay, Barack says I need to get a chocolate babka. I had better sample all of these chocolate babkas to make sure I get the best one, right, Janet? God, I love Barry. I mean babka. I love babka.

“I want to make like the fro-yo bars, but with ice cream. I mean, c’mon, President Park, who wants a bowl this big of fro-yo when you could have ice cream, right?”

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“Happy 55th, Barack! A brother to me, a best friend forever.”

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is ACTUALLY a REAL tweet made by Vice President Joe Biden, and that caption is HIS actual words. My heart!

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“Barack hey Barack happy birthday man, are you going to eat the key lime pie? Just wondering, just wondering, no reason”

“It is just that key lime is my favorite, but it’s your birthday, okay”

“I kid you not, Arseniy, I asked for an ice cream, and Michelle brought me a carrot. A fuckin’ carrot! But it was all in good fun, see, because then after she and Jill got done laughing at me, she brought out a waffle cone with four scoops of banana-chocolate rocky road. Four scoops! That was one helluva annual Secret Service family picnic, I tell you.”

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“Barack, I got you a cone too. Barack? Barack? hi, I have your cone!”

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“It’s okay. No, I just wanted two cones; I knew you were getting your own. It’s not like this is a date or anything, ha ha”

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“Michelle *said* they didn’t plant those tall bushes between our pools on purpose, but I don’t know. I just don’t know.”

“Butterfly kisses, after bedtime prayer…”

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“OH. MY. GOD. Is that a CHOCOLATE WAFFLE??”

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“And then, see, the corgi jumps off the pier and does a belly flop in the lake! Gets me every time. Isn’t that great? Isn’t that so funny, Barack?”

“Yeah, that’s great, Joe!”

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This is so perfect I can’t even caption it. I only wish I could frame it and look at it forever. Such pure joy.

5 “Worship” Songs That I Can Stand

October 5, 2016September 29, 2016Trish4 Comments

I don’t like Contemporary Christian Music. I think this is mostly a knee-jerk reaction against my teenage ALL CHRISTIAN EVERYTHING SEPARATE FROM THE WORLD asshole days, so I am probably throwing some babies out with the bathwater (sorry, babies!). But there is also a little truth to the fact that a lot of CCM is just…not creative. Not technically good. And most importantly to me, they are often too Happy Happy Joy Joy.

I can’t stand a faith that pretends life is good. I can’t stand a faith that refuses to acknowledge domestic violence, addictions, bad moods, and doubt. Unfortunately, most of our worship music is “blissfully” free of our uncomfortable reality. But I want to be uncomfortable! I want the songs I sing to God to be messy and truthful and desperate, because that is how I am.

So even though I don’t like traditional worship music, I DO love me some songs about faith. Here are a few of my favorites.

1| “Jesus, Jesus” by Noah Gundersen Continue reading →

Sunday Summary #43

October 2, 2016September 29, 2016TrishLeave a comment

1| Last Night’s Debate, or the Mansplaining Olympics

An excellent and hilarious summary of the first presidential debate.

TRUMP: Also in addition to your sinister Machiavellian control of everything on earth, you are not good at leadership. I believe these things simultaneously and see no contradiction in them.

CLINTON: Wasn’t I supposed to be talking? About focusing on the middle class?

HOLT: (shrugs)

TRUMP: “TYPICAL POLITICIAN. ALL TALK, NO ACTION.”

CLINTON: Is this in response to something specific?

TRUMP: “NEVER GONNA HAPPEN.”

CLINTON: Did someone hit a switch on your back somewhere into drunk uncle mode?

2| There are few things I love more than grown men consenting to be bossed around by tiny, amazing girls.

Music Rec | JEREMY MESSERSMITH

September 26, 2016September 25, 2016TrishLeave a comment

I stumbled upon Jeremy Messersmith this past week, and his lighthearted indie pop sound is right up my musical alley. In addition to the sound, I’m a huge fan of the album as a whole. So far I’ve just been listening to one album, Heart Murmurs, on repeat. Am I crazy, or it is incredibly unique?

Most albums about love track one person’s love story, usually the singer him/herself. But Heart Murmurs is a short story anthology in musical form, and unless I’m just loopy on obsessiveness, I can’t think of any other album like that. Messersmith uses his sweet, sweet voice to tell wildly different stories: a guy wrestling with unrequited love all the way until her wedding day, a guy offering to be his best friend’s rebound after a girl breaks his heart, and a married man playing out an “If You Like Pina Coladas” schtick as he propositions his wife with a one-night stand. The only way he could be more diverse is if he sang from a woman’s point of view.

Usually I’m a fan of long narratives. I prefer serial shows like LOST to procedural shows like Law and Order. Give me a massive novel over an anthology anyday, and heaven knows I don’t want Taylor Swift to take back 1989. But somehow, Jeremy Messersmith is converting me! I’m super into his chameleon songwriting, and I can’t wait to be over Heart Murmurs long enough to dive into his death-themed pop album The Reluctant Graveyard.

Favorite songs: “Bridges,” “Steve,” “I Want to be Your One Night Stand.”

Sunday Summary #42

September 25, 2016September 19, 2016TrishLeave a comment

1| Feminist satire with Kristen Bell: what could be better?

Sunday Summary #41

September 18, 2016September 16, 2016TrishLeave a comment

1| 9 Brutally Real Reasons Why Millenials Refuse to Have Kids

I LIVE. If you like babies, you probably need a sense of humor (or empathy) to read this article, but as someone who has always been deeply ambivalent about having biological children, I was screaming in agreement throughout the whole thing.

2| Marvel movies have boring soundtracks – here’s why!

Let’s Talk About…’90s NOSTALGIA

September 14, 2016September 12, 2016TrishLeave a comment

Tricia: Are you ready for some ’90s throwback nostalgia?

Elizabeth: Yes, but I was not paying much attention to pop culture in the ’90s. Also, we didn’t have cable growing up.
I think I may have missed some things.

Tricia: I didn’t have cable either!
So all the TV shows I’m going to bring up were well within your ability to watch.

Elizabeth: So I have no excuse for not knowing all these things, is what you’re saying.

Tricia: Yes. 🙂

Elizabeth: IS WISHBONE ON THIS LIST. If not, your list is invalid.

Tricia: …it’s not.

Elizabeth: Well, that was short.

Tricia: I veered more toward late ’90s / me as a pre-teen (because of the reason this all began…JTT).

Elizabeth: You’re never too old to watch Wishbone, Tricia. But okay. Begin with JTT. Explain who that is for the readers at home. Continue reading →

I Created a Harry Potter Website!

September 13, 2016September 12, 2016Trish7 Comments

I’ve been listening to a Harry Potter podcast, and it inspired me to reread the series. But then I thought, why would I do this alone!? How much more fun if people read along with me and we got to discuss the amazingness that is Harry Potter??

So I made Harry Potter and the Fan Who Wouldn’t Move On!

The site has four main parts:

CHAPTER BY CHAPTER

This is the heart of the site. Every Monday I will read a chapter of Harry Potter and write about these seven topics:

LUMOS, an illuminating One Sentence Summary
RIDDIKULUS, in which I get my Fangirl On
CONFUNDUS, the Wizarding World is not like Our World
ALOHOMORA, unlocking Foreshadowing moments
EXPELLIARMUS, a weekly Sassy Harry moment
REPARO, a weekly BFF award
WINGARDIUM LEVIOSA, lifting up a weekly Cutie Pie

INTERVIEW A POTTERHEAD

One of the best parts about Harry Potter is the communal fandom that exists. This section will feature interviews with Potter fans so that we can get to know each other!

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THE PENSIEVE

Here I will reveal memories of some of my favorite Harry Potter moments in my life. Hopefully this will grow to include the memories of others who want to write in!

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