Abersloth

We've spent a lot of time in Chinatown since they have dumplings. Lots of dumplings. We went to see City Hall today (horrid building) and visited a couple of beautiful churches, one right next to the Bain Capital building. We spent a couple hours in Cambridge yesterday, especially on the Harvard campus. We punched the Porcellian. Tomorrow, a play. What a vacation!

I'll be in Boston for the next few days visiting my Boyfriend. We're staying in a hotel near the theatre district, but almost nothing is showing, so to all the Bostonians out there, what should we do? Keep in mind, we're just using public transit.

I've been noticing lately that my boyfriend is very concerned about the way others' see him. He's almost obsessed with projecting an image of professionalism, to the extent where he deleted pictures of himself dressed as Dr. Frank N. Furter a couple Halloweens on facebook because they might be construed as inappropriate. He talks very often about his SATs and AP tests, which he took many years ago, citing his high scores as if to try to impress people. He constantly worries about whether or not he is on the exact right path in life as though there is only one path to happiness. He isn't happy with his [elite private] school, but doesn't want to transfer elsewhere because he's worried what people will say about him downgrading to a less elite school. It might just be me, but that seems like a really unhealthy attitude, and frankly, it's starting to irritate me. I don't want to just approach him and say "Look, here's this flaw I think you have," because that would be tactless and would not end well, but I do think I need to do something eventually. So here are my questions: Is this something I should really be worried about, and how do I talk to him about it?

I didn't say you're wrong, or call you a liar. Out of the infinite ways to point out that fact, you chose to be abrasive and inflammatory. Besides, raw speculation is often where we find inspiration in science. A typical research group meeting for my lab starts with "Well what if [blah blah blah] is causing [this effect]? Nah, that's ridiculous, but [blah blah blah offshoot] might have something to do with it."

Rude. Disgraceful. Arrogant.

Both. At the same time.

Dear 16 year old Nathan, Start keeping a journal. No, really. You're going to do some amazing things that you'll want to remember, but you'll forget anyway. Don't take anyone for granted, especially Tony (who you haven't met yet) and exercise compassion. When you meet a guy and you guys stick together like velcro, cherish it and cherish him. Remind him often that you care about him and do special things with him. Definitely keep track of that in your journal. You'll meet several guys like that just in the next few years, so stop worrying about never finding a decent guy and live. Especially when you get to your freshman year of college, leave your comfort zone and be outgoing. You'll have a lot more fun and make a lot more friends that way. From, Your Nearly 20-Year-Old Self

Full bondage gear

Jakey

Well, at least I'll die getting laid.

There are worse fates than rum connoisseur Most of my friends are cheap-as-piss beer connoisseurs.

Well, then, I'm making it not a label.

Once again, it is not a label any more than tall or blonde. You choose to see it as a label. That's your own closed mindedness biting you in the ass.

You prove my point here. If you stop paying attention at "I am a geek," you miss out on "...and a musician and a mountain climber and a rum connoisseur." Your loss. Snap judgments are the height of ignorance.

I am a geek. Any assumptions you make about my personality based on that alone (other than a fondness for Jean Luc Picard) are not my problem, but yours. Once again, geek is a descriptor, just the same as tall, blonde, and gay, and is in no way limiting. I know jocks who are also geeks. They are also many other things. Your assumption is that by calling myself a geek I am confining myself to a set of characteristics that you presume to be a part of being a geek. And once again, that is your problem, not mine. Geek describes part of me very well, even a significant part of me. It is a good word for me to use. I'm allowed to say "I am a geek, but I'm also a musician and a mountain climber and a rum connoisseur." You are cutting yourself short by making dumb assumptions about a person based on them calling themselves a geek, and are basically telling me "Hi, I'm judgmental."