Miscellaneous Miscellanea

(A Sunday Scribblings prompt)

My life is made up of miscellanea.

The subtitle of my blog sums up much of what drives me and my life. I'm inquisitive. Eclectic is the word I use to describe myself.

I love gathering information, following every trail, sniffing out odd words and associations, looking up birthdates, birthplaces and schools of people I see in the news and online. A place I've never heard of? I'll be looking it up. A new book I haven't read? I'll be searching for a review. There isn't a sport that I won't watch at least once, a musical genre I won't give a listen, an author I won't try.

When asked about "favourites", I have a hard time coming up with an answer.

For example, if someone was to ask me what my favourite sport is, I'd, first of all, have to ask spectator or participation? If spectator; I'd say I like hockey, figure skating, basketball when Phoenix (Steve Nash) is playing, some football (depending on the time of year and teams), baseball during the World Series, tennis if certain players are playing (too bad Andre Aggasiz retired), golf if Mike Weir or Tiger is playing, curling during the Olympics and the Tournament of Hearts, speed skating, downhill skiing, triathlons, marathons, gymnastics, swimming, synchronized swimming, diving, and probably cricket if I could ever learn the rules. Depending on time of season and mood, I'd have a hard time choosing what to watch on TV. If someone was to ask me what my favourite type of music is, I'd have the same problem. I'm always listening and learning.

Yesterday, I used the term "a walking contradiction". When viewing the miscellanea in my life, that's how I feel about myself. It's oddly reassuring:

I'm both intrigued by people, get along with most, but like to be alone.

I like sports, but don't think I'm particularly athletic.

I read almost anything except romance novels, yet went through a phase where I read practically every pink-covered, damsel-in-distress covered book I could find.

I used to say I hated opera, but now find classical music and opera one of my favourites forms of relaxation.

I'm both optimistic and pessimistic, but if I were to choose, I'd say I'm more of a glass half full type of person; which would make me an optimist, I guess.

I strive to be more concise, but enjoy my rambling, never-ending, stream of consciousness orgy of words that overtakes me from time to time.

I'm a very private person, yet I have a blog that shares some of my most intimate thoughts.

I believe in the innate good of people, but am always wary of the hidden dark side.

I'm a good judge of character, but can be bamboozled by someone close to me.

Who am I? I'm an eclectic collector of miscellaneous miscellanea, living a life of perpetual inquisitiveness, gathering an endless assortment of both useful and useless trivia in order to live a life acquiring as much knowledge as possible - just because I can.