re: A Personal Inventory
Yesterday I read a post by Brandon: A Personal Inventory. I enjoyed the concept of the personal inventory as described by his friend:
… every year on his birthday, would make a list of things he liked and disliked. He'd compare it to the previous year's list as a way of keeping track of what genuinely interested him, rather than continuing to pursue something simply because he'd always enjoyed it.
I'm not going to start this practice, but I like the idea. My reply isn't to the concept of a personal inventory, though; it's about Brandon's preferences in stories and media lately.
Another area I've been giving more attention to is my appearance. Nothing dramatic, but I'm making an effort to dress a little better and take more pride in how I present myself. … slowly upgrading my wardrobe beyond my usual collection of T-shirts, gym shorts, and jeans.
I can relate. For a time I tried to keep up with this at work. I still wear nicer clothes here than I would on weekends, but it's not often I wear a dress shirt. I certainly don't wear a suit like some people here do; but today I opted to go with dark jeans, casual dress shoes, topped with a dress shirt and sweater. I liked the way I looked yesterday when I attended a ceremony for National Indigenous Veterans Day, but I swapped dress pants and shoes for a casual look.
Not long ago I decided to stop wearing as many "graphic tees" (never mind that these are apparently now in style) and switch to plain t-shirts — even on weekends when I'm trying to be more casual. I just felt...immature. For the next few months while I work remotely I've started wearing casual work clothes and changing into more relaxing attire after I log off for the day.
One thing I've noticed, though, is that I'm becoming more selective about the stories I want to spend time with. I'm increasingly drawn toward straightforward adventures with likable characters, relatively simple stakes, and heroes who are genuinely good people. Not everything needs to be morally ambiguous, relentlessly dark, or part of some sprawling mythology that requires hours of research to understand.
I can't say that I'm drawn to identical properties, but I think I'm on the same wavelength. I think part of the reason for this change is that I want to watch things with my wife. I know she prefers more straightforward stories. I've tried showing her things I enjoy that require a deeper understanding, but I don't want to have to explain backstories and whatnot anymore. And I fully agree about avoiding ambiguous stories or dark subject matter.
I still enjoy those (Andor is the best TV I've watched in the last 5 years, and it's very dark) but I stick to this stuff when my wife isn't around.
Brandon thinks there's a common thread, enjoying the simpler things (he mentioned notebooks and writing, for example). Perhaps it's a part of growing older. Life can be complicated, and I think it's natural to want to slow down a step or two and narrow your focus to things you know you'll enjoy.
Not everyone is this way, but we should all know by now that every person is built differently.