Profile Pictures

This post may apply to all social media outlets, blogs, you name it, but the primary motivation for this post comes from the world of online dating. Basically this is a list of don'ts for men, although some may apply to women also. I've ordered these by level of acceptability, with the completely unacceptable being at the bottom.

#1 - Don't use a photo of you with any face-blocking accessories on: goggles, masks, overly large hats, hoods, helmets and the like just make it seem like you're hiding something. Although, if you're trying to hide something, this may be a good strategy. Just remember that if someone sees a picture like this, they are going to look at your other pictures to see if you are in fact hiding something. If you are, hide it in all your pictures for maximum effect.

Clearly loves to scuba dive...but that's what the "interests/hobbies" sections of the profiles are for!

#2 - Don't take a picture of yourself in the mirror. When I see one of these, here are some of the thoughts that run through my mind:

-They knew they were going to use this as their profile picture and they chose that face/shirt/pose etc.? What message are they trying to send with that angry face? Or that Anime shirt? Or the gangster pose?

-That mirror is really dirty, and whatever is in the background looks dirty too. If filthiness is apparent even in a phone picture of you in the mirror, not ok.

-Did he need to work this hard to get a profile picture? Is he so vain he wanted to pose? Are his other "real life" pictures so bad he couldn't use them? Does he take mirror pictures of himself regularly?

Don't think a caption is necessary here.

Note: Pictures being taken using the camera on computers are more acceptable. However, don't use too many artsy effects....the result is not usually good. Also, these pictures are rarely flattering so I generally don't think it's a good idea.

Would you want to meet this guy for dinner alone? Pretty sure I've seen this photo on Law & Order SVU

#3 Don't ever use a shirtless photo for your profile picture unless you want to seem stupid, shallow and vain. I'm not saying there's no place for shirtless photos, but the only way they can be used without creating the aforementioned reputation is if they are candids and show you in a setting where being shirtless is completely expected. By this I mean boating, swimming, or on the beach...I actually can't think of any other scenarios that are appropriate. Bottom line...if a shirtless photo is the best asset you have for your dating profile then hopefully there are lots of girls out there with bikini pictures showing their best assets. I haven't ever seen any female dating profiles, but I'm sure they're out there, don't you worry. 

Horseback riding through water while shirtless...you know, how you do

#4 Never ever ever ever ever use a shirtless photo you took in the mirror. Under no circumstances should that be used on the internet, ever. I don't even think this needs explanation.

#5 Just don't be weird! Photos with inside jokes or special meanings should be saved for a later stage in a relationship. 

The caption on on this man's profile read, "Classic baseball under chin pose." 

Normalcy, that's what the profile picture should demonstrate...save the quirks, vanities or creativity for later.

*Note: All of the pictures in this post were taken from real profiles on real online dating sites (and believe me this is just a small sampling of the pictures that could have been used). Names will not be disclosed to protect identities...but if you know any of these people, maybe help them out?

Philosophizing

I've been out of the Philosophy world for awhile now so I decided I needed to do a little philosophical muscle stretching. Included here are a few of my philosophies on ordinary things:

Stop signs in America - I was at a Stop sign today and for about 30 seconds no one, at any of the fou

r roads into the intersection, would go. It was clearly NOT my turn, so I wasn't going to go, but no one else seemed to either. It seemed completely un-American. We are not a country that encourages pauses, especially when there seems to be some advantage to be gained by going first! We're always pushing to get ahead, working harder than the next person, getting further faster. I mean think about the phrase "keeping up with the Jones'"! We're all about getting ahead...and yet these four cars sat and waited and wouldn't take their opportunity. It was so strange, and even stranger that I thought it was so strange. I wonder if a European, or even a Canadian, would even have noticed.

Lawyers - I don't really think you need lawyers to read through every legal document you sign to check for catches or terms that were sneaked in...what you really need them to do is catch what's NOT written in the documents. Lawyers have the ability to think of every possible bad outcome that is not specifically addressed, with a great attention to crazy details that you might think no one in their right mind would even notice, even ones you think might just be covered by common sense. Also, it is nice to have people around whose job it is to read through those boring documents all day so you don't have to! In a nutshell - lawyers are serious pessimists who make long, boring documents longer and more boring, but thankfully they keep us from having to deal with the longness and and the boringness!

Fast food - I know it's unhealthy and lazy and all sorts of other bad things, but honestly, I don't think it tastes as bad as everyone says. Would I rather eat at McDonalds than a nice steak house? Most of the time, no. BUT, fast food does fill a niche. Sometimes a Taco Bell burrito hits the spot, doesn't mean it's in the same category as a Cafe Rio burrito, or a homemade burrito, but you don't go to Taco Bell expecting a burrito like Cafe Rio or one from home. Fast food has it's place, and I say appreciate it for what it is! That said....there is some food that is just not meant to be fast - macaroni and cheese for example. That is a food that cannot be translated into fast food and still maintain and acceptable level of palatability. 

100 Posts!

I just discovered the stats information for my blog, not sure why I never bothered to check it before as it is kind of fascinating. I am well-liked in the United States and also apparently have a decent following in Eastern Europe. I suppose I'll have to keep my audience in mind more now that I know this, maybe I'll write about hockey or communism or something.

But, the most important thing I discovered is that my last post was my 100th, seems like a milestone worth mentioning. In fact, what I decided to do was go back and re-read some of the original 100, and at the risk of seeming self-indulgent and conceited, I have selected my top ten posts and listed them here. I don't expect you to read them, it's just a nice self-reflective exercise for me, and that's what this blog is really about anyway. That's right, I'll be honest, this blog isn't about you, it's about me. Blogs are inherently arrogant, to assume that details of our lives are worth sharing with the world, and even more arrogant that we think the world might really enjoy everything we have to say. I won't deny that I secretly hope people enjoy what I write, but having read back over my first 100 posts, I realize I don't care so much if other people are entertained, because I am completely delighted that I have these random thoughts captured so I can go back and remember things I never would have remembered if I hadn't had a blog to fill. I enjoyed the first 100, and I'm not sure how the next 100 can quite live up to the originals, but apparently a lot can happen in five years...

http://jenwest.blogspot.com/2008/10/byu-top-ten.html

http://jenwest.blogspot.com/2008/11/cave-person-day-at-palace-golf-club-and.html

http://jenwest.blogspot.com/2009/03/doctor-dread.html

http://jenwest.blogspot.com/2009/02/facebook-friends.html

http://jenwest.blogspot.com/2009/06/subjects-not-to-discuss-until-age-7.html

http://jenwest.blogspot.com/2009/07/paragliding-in-switzerland.html

http://jenwest.blogspot.com/2010/03/parker-deficiency.html

http://jenwest.blogspot.com/2010/05/hot-tub.html

http://jenwest.blogspot.com/2011/01/business-professionl-or-not.html

http://jenwest.blogspot.com/2011/12/wards-that-must-not-be-named.html

RIDICULOUS Extravagance

:

I work for a company that you might say is heavily involved with "leading" technology, so I know that many of my friends might see this as a hypocritical or ridiculous post...but I am having a moral dilemma about a very popular newish product that is often paired with our products. I'm not going to mention the name of this product, or the brand, because I respect the company, my friends who work there, and I respect the incredible technology that went into this thing. Here's my problem....the projector you see below costs $25,000. Yes, that's right, $25,000...for one product....one projector....for your home theater...just the projector...basically a TV, except you also have to buy the screen, so not even a whole TV.

And yes, I know that this projector has some really incredible 4k technology...it's ULTRA HD, not only can you see each individual blade of grass at the Masters with stunning precision and clarity, but you can see the ants and smaller insects crawling around the blades of grass with the same precision and clarity. I appreciate how cool that is, I do (although I think you have to draw the line at just how much you want to see...newscasters and other TV personalities can't be happy about the ever-increasing HD quality).

Anyway, I decided to make a list of other ridiculous extravagances someone could purchase for this same price, and contrast it with a list of just a few positive things that could be done with the same amount of money. I'll even subtract $8,000 (about how much you would spend on an incredible 70" LCD TV) and we'll just skip right over that level of extravagance - I recognize people spend a lot on these things, and I appreciate quality electronics so I won't pretend to advocate anything near a technologically celibate lifestyle.

Other Wasteful, Sickening Things You Can Buy for About $17,000:

•  A Hummer - that's right. The gas-guzzling, over-compensating monster vehicles that pollute the air and overstep parking spot boundaries everywhere they go. (I drove past a car lot today with a Hummer listed for $15,000 OBO, and it was this sight that made me realize a HUMMER could be purchased for less than this ONE PROJECTOR!
• Apparently you can buy ONE purse for $17,000...or you can just steal it like this guy
• You could buy enough cigarettes to smoke a pack a day for 10 years with $17,000. It's true, I found it on the internet!
• Let's not even THINK about what despicable goods and services could be had in Las Vegas for $17,000
• You could complete an entire Sundance Film Festival-worthy movie all about violence and brain damage for $17,000 

I could go on...but I won't. Now to all the positive things that could be done with the same amount:

• You could refund the donations made by all these people who believed they were helping a girl with Leukemia
• You could make 680 loans to individuals in need around the world through Kiva or other microfinance institutions. 
• You could provide 5 defibrillators to an institution of your choice.
• You could make a $17,000 donation to any NUMBER of great causes (cancer research, literacy programs, humanitarian aid, etc.)
• You could fly yourself over to Africa to help put up mosquito nets or educate people on good health habits (and you might even see some cool animals while you're at it!)
• Even putting money towards retirement or kids college funds seems like a better use of the funds.  

Ok I'm off my soapbox. I realize I'm in no position to condemn people who purchase these things - I have and probably will continue to make frivolous purchases (although not quite of the same amount) but that doesn't mean I feel good about it. So for myself, I am setting out to change my spending habits. For everyone else....buy what you want of course, but maybe now with a new perspective.