Philadelphia! Here I come!!

Finally! My very first blog! As soon as I typed the first word "Finally" the internet got disconnected. Is that a sign? Probably so (since I write like crap anyway). Very apt considering the title of my blog is Serendipity. This is probably an omen for worse things to come like having every sadist in this world read my blog and inundate it with comments that would definitely not be complimentary. Or worse...that I would get roaring drunk and write a whole buncha things that I really shouldn't. About myself and about other people.

Which brings me to the question. How straightforward should one be? In my younger (and better??) days I used to be extremely direct ..... to the point of rudeness. But things changed. A few years ago I moved to Scotland. One of the first people I met at a wine and cheese party was a guy from Saudi Arabia. The first few minutes went well. We were all a pretty multicultural group with the "natives" being completely outnumbered by us international students. As we discussed countries and customs, I asked him what he thought of polygamy which was so rampant in his country. At that time I was quite naive. I was convinced that if this guy was intelligent enough to come to this country for a Masters then he probably would have strong ideas for a tradition that is frankly speaking extremely unfair. Turns out he DID have a strong opinion about it....he couldn't wait to marry four women! Obviously me being me I couldn't just accept the fact....I had to change his mind! Make him see the blatant unfairness of the situation!

"How would YOU feel if your wife was making out with different guys every day"?
"Well she wouldn't because she is MY wife and I would kill her before she ever thought of being unfaithful to me".
"Okay...........so put yourself in her position and see how she would feel".
He promptly responds" This is the right of the man".
"Err.... NO! If I were in her position I would probably castrate you, you jerk"!

This pretty much set the tone of the relationship between us for the rest of the year. He being from a male dominating society could not stand the fact that women have opinions. Me coming from a male dominated society with females getting better and better at dominating couldn't wait to shoot down his male ego. After five years of bickering we are now good friends. He isn't married yet. Says he is waiting for me to be his wife number one.....which always guarantees a thrashing from me! So this is an instance where being direct did not result in a catastrophe.

But there have been times when I have felt the need to zip those lips! Is it always good to be straightforward? Do you consider the other person's feelings which may be hurt sometime? Or is it better to speak your mind and walk off with that superior attitude of being honest?
Well I have digressed enough.

The whole point of writing this blog is because I am entering into a new zone in my life. Moving from the South to the East Coast. From hot to FRrrrrezing cold! And worst of all, from a student life to the dredging boring 9-5 life aka a JOB! Yikes!! I have avoided it as much as I could! For 26 years in fact. But it can no longer be avoided. sigh! Gone are the days of ragged jeans and torn sweatshirts. Of walking in to lab at mid day and working till midnight. Of wondering whether my 1985 Plymouth is going to make it to lab this morning. Of getting drunk on weekends....(wait a minute! I can still do that!).

This blog is meant to record this momentous event (??) of my life, among other things which probably are of no interest to anyone else except me when I am 60 years old (if I still care and I can still see). In the among other things category ...... I have realised that I don't think....just think about anything at all. I have opinions about the world, religion, books, music etc. But about myself..... what kind of a person am I? If asked to give a description about me I would be at a loss. Is that weird? Have I been too busy holed up in lab and in that lost touch with myself? I am hoping that this new phase in my life will give me some more time. To know ME.