Sunday Showcase: Hero!
Sunday Showcase — By Jami on August 23, 2009 at 8:00 am
Sorry I’m a bit late with this posting, you guys. I’m working on something big and, hopefully, will have it ready to show you all very soon. It’s super big… Gigantic. Colossal. Just you wait.
Ok, on with the Showcase!
22 / M / straight / Single
I am intellectual, engaging, and supercalifragilistic
My Self-Summary
At the risk of sounding snobbish, I am most deeply passionate about social activism, abolition, mentoring, philosophy, poetry, and writing. Before the end of my lifetime, I’d like to see deep inroads made against human trafficking and unfair trade practices. There’s also a less serious side to me. I love thrift stores, ping pong, girly drinks, building computers, and looking at crazy stuff on the internet. I love kids, I can’t (that is can NOT) kick your butt at Halo, and I dress better than most guys you know. I like profound sayings, and I wish I had some of my own. People often mistake me for that guy from Heroes.
I’ll give you kudos if you’re: on time (I might even grant you one of my world famous bear hugs), honest, somebody who sticks to their word, gewd at teh grammars an spellins, loyal, and in possession of a goofy sense of humor.
I’ll knock you down a peg if you’re: NOT ON TIME, disrespectful, arrogant, a pretentious hipster, someone who has all these views with no argument to back them up, or wearing Crocs.
What I’m doing with my life
I’m attending Indiana Wesleyan University for two degrees: English and Writing. It used to be for Graphic Design, but I hate wearing houndstooth scarves and growing out an ironic mustache didn’t sound like fun either. Right now I’m taking a semester off because I ran out of money as attending a private institution is expensive. I’ve worked at a steel factory for five years now to pay for school, and I also work at the local Aeropostale selling jeans to kids in high school.
I’m really good at
They really need a box for “When on a sugar high, I’m sort of okay at” but I’ll work with this.
I’m really good at writing (nonfiction is my specialty, and I’m decent at fiction, poetry, and commercial ads), bean a reel gewd spellur, also Im really good at the grammars, graphic design (I can make you sparkle in Photoshop!), creating/enriching awkward moments, ping pong and other Asian things, styling my crazy hair…and I’m REALLY good at ignoring speed limits!
The first things people usually notice about me
The hair (which is typically spiky/pointy/Hiro Nakamura-ish), the suit – I’m almost always wearing a suit, and more than almost always wearing a tie – and I can be reserved, but when I talk about something I’m truly passionate about, I get really animated and I do a lot of talking with my hands.
My favorite books, movies, music, and food
Wow, all four play huge parts in my life. In terms of books, I like literature but I still have issues getting into the really stuffy old books. I prefer the classics being written by authors in the here and now. Vonnegut, Pahalniuk, McCarthy, and the like. This does not include Twilight.
Movies: I’m one of the bigger movie buffs out there, or at least on my street. Favorites would include The Shawshank Redemption, Fight Club, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Thank You For Smoking, Memento, Little Miss Sunshine, Synechdoche New York, Children of Men, Choke, The Wrestler, Old Boy…
…on the less serious/profound side of things, I love well-made comedies. The only things I laugh at that are being put out right now would be the Apatow movies and the Apatow knockoffs – i.e. Knocked Up, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Pineapple Express, I Love You Man, Role Models, and The Hangover.
I cannot live without music. I go to sleep listening to my iPod. Every night. I’m addicted to bands like Something Corporate, Jack’s Mannequin, Regina Spektor, Feist, Sia, Modest Mouse, She Wants Revenge, Copeland, The Hush Sound, The Flaming Lips, Dashboard Confessional, White Stripes, Black Kids, Iron and Wine, Rosie Thomas, Keane, Cat Power, A Fine Frenzy, Imogen Heap, Kings of Leon, Augustana, Rodeo Ruby Love, The Album Leaf, Alexi Murdoch, Ingrid Michaelsen, Anathallo, Head Automatica, Andrew Bird, Grizzly Bear, Over the Rhine, Bloc Party, Cartel, Joshua Radin, One Day As A Lion, Kings of Leon, The National, The Weepies, Damien Rice, Clint Mansell, The Frames, James Yorkston, The Ringers, MGMT, We Are Scientists, Bon Iver, Vampire Weekend, Sun Kil Moon, Fleet Foxes, Bat For Lashes, Right Away Great Captain, Band of Horses, The Ting Tings, Josh Ritter, Dave Barnes…
(you can probably find one of your favorite bands in there, right?)
Oh, and food. Italian is my first love, but I see Chinese when Italian is out of town. And when they’re both at mid-level management conferences in Denver I give Mexican a call.
The six things I could never do without
My family and my friends. That’s really it. I know that’s not six but I learned a long time ago that possessions don’t really matter. Good health is nice, but not a necessity. Good fortune is great, but always turning. Money is a temporary Band-Aid to a deeper longing. I don’t really need anything besides people.
I spend a lot of time thinking about
Leaving a footprint behind, halting the things I see around me that grieve me, my next writing piece, extraordinary things, ordinary things, mundane things, if I pull off the color pink as well as I think I do, and baby ducks, because they’re cute as all get out.
On a typical Friday night I am
Working! I work 50+ hours a week at the factory and typically three shifts a weekend at Aeropostale. If I’m not working, I’m either venturing into bars unknown to try drinks previously untasted, or I’m eating a panini at Panera’s and sorting through ideas for writing pieces. If I’m doing none of the above, I’m either driving somewhere (I love road trips), making a fool of myself on someone’s Wii Fit, or being coaxed into a night club. I don’t fit into clubs very well.
The most private thing I’m willing to admit here
I’m a lot more insecure than I appear.
You should message me if
I appear interesting! And if I’m not appearing interesting and you just wanted to let me know that I’m probably one of the more boring people you’ve stumbled upon here. Also feel free to message me if you need a celebrity escort (again, I make a GREAT Hiro Nakamura), want some pampering (I spoil my friends and buy them shakes and stuff), or want to know what kind of gel I use in my hair (I’m not telling you HERE then you won’t message me).
So… What say you? I really liked this guy’s profile. He said, in his email to me, “Feel free to rip apart/showcase.” Seriously. This isn’t a Date Wreck, dude!
I do think you need to get some variety to your pictures. Self portraits are good, but see if you can find or have a friend take a snap shot of you from more than three feet away. I think that’d be good.
Other than that, I really like your writing style and think that, for a 22 year old dude, you’ve got your head on fairly straight.
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33 Comments
I think I am in love with this guy! If only I were 15 years younger…
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Cute kid, good profile. Tell him he doesn’t need so many close-ups, he doesn’t need to list every band he’s ever heard (Kings of Leon, twice) and he may not want to do the “people matter, not things” speech on the same page where he states he falls asleep with his Ipod. Just motherly advice
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Jami–as long as the super-big, gigantic, colossial thing isn’t another weird schlong post—I think we’re going to be fine.
On to the matters at hand:
The one thing I’d do is eliminate the first photo completely. He looks *very* young in it.
Otherwise, it looks pretty good. I dig the way he worded his fave foods.
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I kept waiting for the “wreck” part and it never came. I agree that he looks too young in the first picture, and I’d like to see a longer shot, but really I like him. Wonder when he has time to date, though. If I were 15 years younger. And not married with kids.
.-= Naomi Zikmund-Fisher´s last blog ..Getting Back on the Horse =-.
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He sounds like SO much fun. The favorite foods cracked me up, and I actually liked the “only people matter” six things. The whole profile was very funny, that always gets me … “at least on my street” heehee
He sounds like a really ambitious, hard-working young man. Very impressive profile!
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The pictures quibble will be remedied as soon as I get a moment. I’m actually really upset Kings of Leon got in there twice, because they’re a favorite, but they’re not worth mentioning twice.
Thanks for the good words Jami + everyone else. They are certainly appreciated.
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I’ve been reading this site for a while but felt compelled to comment today for the first time – I would totally date this guy! The first picture makes you look kind of hunched over and weird, but that’s immaterial based on all the other goodies you’ve got in there. Hope you get a lot of replies!
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Oh my, I want to adopt him as my long lost brother/nephew, not date him. His profile is amusing, lots of depth and the favorite foods made me snort my iced tea.
The first photo has to go, the third is a bit blurry.
.-= Constance´s last blog ..Project #2 =-.
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Oh my, I want to adopt him as my long lost brother/nephew, not date him. His profile is amusing, lots of depth and the favorite foods made me snort my iced tea.
The first photo has to go, the third is a bit blurry.
.-= Constance´s last blog ..Project #2 =-.
Sorry, should have added great post! Waiting for your next one!
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I dunno, man. Vampire Weekend? I’m no indie music expert, but doesn’t that make you an automatic hipster? I kid, sort of.
The movies and music parts seem rather long relative to the rest of the profile. I feel like I’m reading your Last.fm charts (which wouldn’t be so bad, if this were Last.fm). I would either shorten the lists or increase the length of the rest of the profile to match.
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Zach, you sound like a LOT of fun! I, too, wonder when you’ll have time to see someone, but, hey, maybe you don’t sleep. Would totally want to hang out with you if you were in my area and probably more if you weren’t half my age. (Hmmm, see a trend here?) I agree on what’s been said about the music list & the pix. Otherwise perfect!
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Anybody who can make me sparkle in photoshop has my undying love. LMAO!
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GREAT taste in movies. (and yes, almost all of his also make my lsit.)
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I was looking for the wreck part too – but I couldn’t find it! I think his profile is kind of refreshing.. and he is my age! LOL – too bad I live in Canadialand.
Jonny – I am pretty sure music doesn’t define a person. I listen to indie, goth rock, metal, glam metal, pop music, rap, classical and country. What does that make me?
I do agree that the list is too long, but when you’re a music lover, it is hard to list just one.. or five.. or ten for that matter. I even had to just tone down this comment by listing the genres!
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Another vote for ditching the first picture. You should know how everyone feels about kid pics on dating sites.
Seriously, that picture makes you look about 12.
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I’d suggest having someone else take the photos instead of holding the camera at arm’s length.
.-= Becky ´s last blog ..Steak’s, Cocktail’s, and Baby =-.
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man o’ my dreams. =)
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Like so many before me, I was waiting for the wrecky-ness. This is probably the first decent-length online profile that I bothered to read in its entirety, without skimming. I think it’s very clever and well-written, and for a 22 year old guy, he seems to have a lot of class. I like that in a man =) as a 21 year old woman, I give this a stamp of approval.
P.S. Can I have one of those famous bear hugs?
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Love it! Forgot it was a showcase and was all “What’s wrong with this guy?! He seems awesome to me!”
Again, if I were younger, and not in Canada, I’d totally date him.
(Asha, are you the Asha I think you are? SP here…)
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Wait a second, wait a second… If so many of you were really willing to go out with him, why would he be single right now…?
There must be something else here.
.-= Will O’Neill´s last blog ..Cranes =-.
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The same reason I’m single, Will… The universe likes playing jokes.
So glad to see you here again!
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I’m glad that you’re glad to have me, Jami! You can count on me to be a respectful but blunt voice of dissent.
I do not think any of you who say that you would go out with this man would, in fact, be attracted to him.
Sir: You require masculinity. Do not be fooled into thinking that these women regard you as anything but a homosexual plush toy or opportunity for revisionist regret over the type of man that they were *actually* attracted to in their twenties (and beyond?) perhaps to their dismay but certainly beyond their control.
Good day to you all.
.-= Will O’Neill´s last blog ..Cranes =-.
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lol… Oh how I have missed your wonderful way with words, Will.
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I stand by my comment. At 30, I’m pretty sure I know who I would and wouldn’t date.
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You might date him now, but would you have done so at 22? My point is that I’m sure he is nice, but he does lack that critical… Edge. In fact, he lacks any edge whatsoever. He is a goddamn circle.
No?
.-= Will O’Neill´s last blog ..Cranes =-.
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I stand by what I said. I have dated one too many bad “edgy” guys. What’s wrong with looking for a nice, well spoken, and funny dude?
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*ahem*
In my own defense.
Will, with no disrespect intended, there’s a masculine side to me. It’s not necessarily edgy, but there’s more to me than pink ties and poofy hair. I’ve never worked a puss job. Five years in a steel factory and three in the kitchen of a restaurant cooking food. Before that my dad made my brother and I cut and haul trees on our property (all twelve acres of it). I work on my own car, I fish, and I can show you a dozen scars on my arm from burns and steel lacerations. I don’t shy away from something because of a feminine side. Since age 18 I’ve never worked less than fifty hours a week; at times this topped eighty. Perhaps this isn’t your definition of a masculine figure, but I define who I am, and I believe myself to be plenty competent as such.
Good day.
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Oh, and to Nina, of course you can. They’re free and spectacular.
I’m also starting to think I might have better luck in Canada.
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Zach,
Truthfully, you don’t need a woman. You need a circle of male friends who will raise their eyebrows when you do things like ‘almost always wear suits’, talk about having ‘world famous bear hugs’, order cherry martinis, and hang baby duck paintings in your bathroom.
I would wager almost any amount of money that you do not have such a group of male friends, because you simply could not have them and still be in this state. They would just haze you until you either stopped being like this or stopped being your friends.
My sense from what you say is that you’ve had a life where you’ve had to work so much, and have had so many family obligations, that you probably didn’t have the opportunity to form the kinds of bonds with other guys that act as a natural apprenticeship of sorts into understanding the difference between what women find likable and what they find alluring, mostly through a (sometimes, admittedly painful) peer pressure cooker of at least a baseline competitive machismo.
I sympathize with you to a certain extent, because I don’t really identify with traditional gender roles too deeply myself, but… I don’t know, man. Maybe reel it in just a bit? It just seems like a bit much.
I’m just worried that the only girl you’re attracting is going to be some chick who runs you.
Anyways, I hope you’ll stay in touch with Jami and she will do an update on you – If your approach ends up being effective, I would love to be wrong.
.-= Will O’Neill´s last blog ..Cranes =-.
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I know he’ll be wrong, so I’d love an update too
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I’m yet another Canadian who would have dated Zach when I was 22. I think he sounds fantastic. Good Luck Zach! Keep us posted!
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Will,
The thing about arguing or debating over the interwebs is, given that there’s no moderator, judge, or unbiased jury, nothing ever really gets resolved. I would like to say that as for the “something else” you felt I must possess that drives away the women, I’m flawed. Maybe more than you, maybe less, I don’t know. I’m only recently single, however, coming out of a relationship that ended painfully. I signed on with okcupid at Jami’s request, and if it goes somewhere, so be it. I think you’ve made some excellent points, but I also know I understand myself better than you, and unless we ever meet and converse in person someday, we’ll remain opposed to strong degrees. That said, thanks for engaging me and making some blunt statements. Regards, Zach
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All I have to add is this:
Zach, thank you for not using conversate.
Kthxbai.
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