So many good things in my life have come after I stepped out of my comfort zone, so why not give this a chance? Every day, I feel fortunate to have a great life, with wonderful friends and family and a rewarding career, but increasingly I wonder if there's something missing. Or, perhaps, someone with whom I can share all of it.
So, here we go. It says not to over-think this description. Easier said than done.
If I'm going to take Match.com's advice and say what makes me, me, perhaps the best thing to do is just look around.
To my far left is a stack of books. Five stacks, actually, and the next time there's a moderate earthquake, they will turn into a big pile on the floor. Reading is a passion. My mom started reading to me the day I got home from the hospital, and she never gave me a better gift. I love reading (with the notable exception of college, when it seemed to be cruel and unusual punishment). I'll read any subject, and I'm thrilled when people recommend their favorite books to me, because I'm often paralyzed with indecisiveness when I have to choose one on my own.
Beyond the books is a humming refrigerator. It's mostly empty. If you ever show up here expecting a gourmet meal, it's going to be awkward. Unless, of course, you consider Kraft Mac & Cheese to be a gourmet meal, in which case we will eat like royalty. My (lack of) cooking skills brings me mild embarrassment, but it also allows me to discover some awesome new restaurants from time to time, as well as regularly visit some favorite spots. There are so many great chefs in Los Angeles, and I'm doing my part to keep them employed…
Directly in front of me is, well, a computer monitor, which gets used a lot. I'm a journalist. At age 13, I decided that I wanted to write for newspapers. Little did I know that people would soon stop reading them. Fortunately, I've had success, both for print publications and websites, and my work is fun and rewarding. I'm a sportswriter, but not one who is consumed by sports. I'd much rather attend a game than watch one on TV, but I'd rather go for a walk on the beach than go to a game. My work has afforded me the opportunity to do a lot of traveling, meet a lot of interesting sports figures and cover a lot of big events, and I feel ridiculously fortunate to be living my junior-high dream.
Off to the right is the TV. It's off, and it usually is. It's a very nice, large-screen TV, but at the risk of hurting its feelings, I'd prefer to sit down with a book than the remote control. If I'm parked in front of the TV, most often it's for a movie, but I've also been known to get sucked into a few TV shows. (Current passion: The Walking Dead.) Nothing has yet topped The Wonder Years, my all-time favorite show. If you happen to despise The Wonder Years, that's fine, but let's just shake hands now and part on good terms.
At my right elbow is my iPod. Music means a lot to me, and I'll listen to anything that is done well. It doesn't matter if it's country, classical or anything along the spectrum. One of my great joys is trying to find new bands/artists and sharing them with friends. My current obsession is Mumford & Sons. I saw them at the Hollywood Bowl in November and nearly died from exposure to the cold, which would have been a really embarrassing way to die in Southern California. There's almost always a song going through my head.
Take away all of this, though, and I'll be just fine with only my friends and family. They mean everything to me. I'm not the perfect friend, not the perfect son, but my goal every day is to be caring, respectful, kind and honest to the people who make my life worth living. Coffee or dinner with a friend is the greatest experience in the world. I'll never be one to talk your ear off, but I'll sit and listen to you for hours. I might try to make you laugh a little also. Want to give me a chance?
