Quick survey: What else is weird about you, other than Mustachianism?

[Caoineag]

...
Edited to add: I know! I know! My yard/garden is a registered Monarch Waystation.

Okay, that is awesome. Course I am also the gal who ripped out all the grass in her front yard and planted a flower garden instead so I might be a tad biased. (And no, I don't think that's weird and judging by the number of neighbors doing something similar, many others don't either).

Hmmm....I considered buying a dryer a waste of money so I only line dry and hang dry all of my wash. Line drying doesn't seem weird to people but not even owning a dryer seems to throw them.

I am not a vegetarian but I have been asked by almost every new coworker I have ever had if I am because of the things I eat.

I am such a decisive walker that I have had lots of people try to follow me to their car that they parked when I don't know where it is (I usually stop partway out and ask them where it is to hint that they should probably take the lead instead of following behind me).

[tthree]

I'll skip the ones the general public may think are weird (and have already been well documented here).

I love to exercise!  I have taught fitness classes as my "fun" job for over 10 years.

Further to exercise, I am enamored with human movement.  I am a high level sport official, and "waste" virtually all of my holidays from work volunteering for competitions.

[Bracken_Joy]

I thought of more!

I love dystopian future literature (think 1984 or even the hunger games) and post apocalyptic video games.
When I read, I get incredibly absorbed. Once, when I was young, I didn't notice an (admittedly small) earthquake because I was reading.
I was heavily addicted to world of warcraft for 4 years.
I have broken all but one of my toes (and not at the same time).

[jeromedawg]

I thought of more!

I love dystopian future literature (think 1984 or even the hunger games) and post apocalyptic video games.
When I read, I get incredibly absorbed. Once, when I was young, I didn't notice an (admittedly small) earthquake because I was reading.
I was heavily addicted to world of warcraft for 4 years.
I have broken all but one of my toes (and not at the same time).

Have you played anything in the Bioshock series?

[Dollar Slice]

Most (if not all) people who know me would name my obsessive live music attendance as my weirdest trait. Mostly modern jazz, new music/contemporary classical, and experimental/avant garde, which makes it all the weirder. I will end up seeing over 200 live sets this year. Combine this with my ability to easily start conversations with whoever happens to be next to me, and I've ended up with a very eclectic circle of friends and acquaintances. (Bonus: When you hang out with avant garde musicians and their fans, things like not having cable TV don't even place on the continuum of things that are considered weird.)

It certainly doesn't help my savings rate, but luckily when you are a fan of peculiar/unpopular music it doesn't tend to cost all that much. About 8% of my spending.

Being Pescatarian is a little weird

Coming after the posts about religion/atheism, I wondered for a moment if Pescatarian was related to Episcopalian somehow. The only Episcopal church I ever went to had fish symbols on the doors and for some reason that has always stuck in my head... and the words are vaguely similar, pesca/pisco. My poor little brain got some signals crossed :-)

I am such a decisive walker that I have had lots of people try to follow me to their car that they parked when I don't know where it is (I usually stop partway out and ask them where it is to hint that they should probably take the lead instead of following behind me).

I've had issues with this too. I have spent enough time in slightly sketchy urban areas alone at night that if I ever get lost or feel unsure of myself, I go into "confident walking" mode so that I don't look vulnerable. The result is that whenever I'm traveling and I get lost in any touristy place, I constantly get stopped for directions. While I'm lost. It's awkward.

[JustTrying]

I really would not consider myself a hippie, but some others have described me as one. I do use a menstrual cup - it's better for the environment and for my budget, so it's a win-win! Unlike many of you, I am religious (Christian), however I am politically liberal, which I guess makes me a bit weird to some Christians. I am pretty athletic - I'm a marathoner and a triathlete.

[Lski'stash]

I know how to ride a unicycle and sing in the operatic style. I can do both simultaneously, if asked nicely.

Lols. I can walk on stilts and sing opera at the same time (well!). I sing- a lot.

[Sailor Sam]

I don’t think there’s anything truly unique about me and my personality, but I’m above 2-sigma in a few things:

- I don’t understand free time, and I’m terrible at filling my non-work hours. I’m working on this one, but if anyone knows how to fix this problem, please advise;
- I love creating and tinkering spreadsheets;
- I have witnessed, and firmly believe in the green flash;
- No Facebook account;
- My boss to the 4th power is the President of the United States;
- I have personal knowledge that dolphin is delicious.

[Shane]

Threads where you ask people to talk about themselves always get a big response.  I bet most people who post here won't even read the previous posts, in their hurry to talk rather than listen.

Sol, I made sure to read each and every one of the other posts before posting my response. :) Actually, I always do that anyway. I hate it when people just scroll to the bottom of a thread and post their ideas without reading what everyone has said first. Sometimes it's pretty obvious.



Maybe this isn't that weird for other Mustachians, but we don't own a television and haven't owned one for years. (gasp)

Actually, none of our friends has a tv either, so for people we know well, it's not really that weird. It's usually when I'm talking to someone at work or an acquaintance I've just met that it sometimes comes up, and they seem to think it's really strange that we don't own a television.

Usually it comes up when someone asks me, "Hey, did you see (insert tv show) last night? Wasn't that funny/crazy, scary, awesome, when (insert actor/actress' name) did (whatever)?"

And I'm like, "Uhhhh, no I didn't see it."

But then the person keeps asking me questions about this or that or what they saw on the news the night before or the "big game" on Sunday, and finally I end up telling them that I don't own a tv, and then there's this moment of total silence.

When the person finally regains her composure, she usually says something like, "Oh, you live out in the country, right? I guess you can't get cable or satellite out there, huh? Awww, that's too bad. It must be rough living like that."

Then I tell the person that we could easily buy a tv if we wanted one (someone once offered to give us his old tv because he apparently felt sorry for us believing that maybe we couldn't afford to buy our own) and all I'd have to do is call up the satellite tv company who would send a technician over to install a satellite dish on my house and we would get x hundred channels if we wanted them. But we don't want a tv, because we'd rather read books, surf the web, talk to each other, play games, listen to music, etc.

Recently, I had this tv conversation with someone at work, and at the end he said, "Well you and your wife might not want tv, but what about your "poor" daughter (she's 7)? How can you deprive her of a television?" I just started laughing, and I don't think I was even able to answer that question...

[Silverwood]

I am a hippy.  I am going to buy a pot farm and live there when I save up enough $$.  All I want to do is sit around and play music and grow plants.

This sounds awesome.  :)

[Doubleh]

I thought of more!
...
I have broken all but one of my toes (and not at the same time).

Ok I've got to ask, what is it that you do that so frequently results in broken toes??

Ignoring the things that seem pretty normal round here like not having a TV or drier and being atheist, the main thing that is unusual about me is that I live on a boat. Since my daughter arrived we have upsized to a positively luxuriously spacious wide boat of something like 600 square feet but when I met my wife we lived on a sailing boat of less than 250 square feet and loved it.

When I first moved onto the boat it was like a whole secret world opening up to me - not being on a boat per se, just the act of defying society's expectations and breaking out of the box. Having questioned something as fundamental as needing to live in a house or apartment felt liberating, and kind of like Neo in the Martix realising that the rules of physics are artifical and he can bend them. What else could I chose to do differently?

I suspect most people here have had something of a similar moment, either before mustachianism that made it easier for them to accept this, or on learning that FIRE is possible - and hence weirdly it is not at all weird that we are all so weird!

[shelivesthedream]

As a child I used to dress only in historical clothing I sewed.

Oh wow wow wow wow WOW! This is amazing! As a child I was never allowed to leave the house in 'dressing up' clothes (unlike the tiny Tinkerbells I see wandering the supermarket these days) but this would have been my absolute dream!

---

I've been trying to think of things that people haven't mentioned already. It's hard because I don't think of myself as weird!

- I'm a woman and I still enjoy playing late 1990s/early 2000s civilisation-building-type computer games. (Pharaoh, Dungeon Keeper II, Age of Empires II...)
- I hate washing. It's not that I dislike being clean, but I hate the sensation of showering, washing my hands, brushing my teeth...
- I don't follow music, films or television. At all. Someone at work asked me the other day if I had seen the latest episode of 'The Apprentice'. Total blank. Finally: "Is that the thing where Alan Sugar shouts and people and then fires them?" She looked at me like I'd sprouted an extra head.
- I'm really into late Victorian and early 20th Century (up to and including the Second World War) domestic history.
- My husband and I hate sitting next to each other at dinners. At any given sit-down event, you get to pretty much talk to three people - the two either side and the one opposite. I see my husband ALL THE FRIGGIN' TIME. WHAT are we going to have to say to each other at a dinner? Give me 50% more other people to talk to, PLEASE.

[Comar]

I thought of more!

I love dystopian future literature (think 1984 or even the hunger games) and post apocalyptic video games.
When I read, I get incredibly absorbed. Once, when I was young, I didn't notice an (admittedly small) earthquake because I was reading.
I was heavily addicted to world of warcraft for 4 years.
I have broken all but one of my toes (and not at the same time).

Have you played anything in the Bioshock series?

And if I may add have you played the Last of Us? Very mustachian game! Also any post apocalyptic recommendations? I also love that stuff.

[firewalker]

While reading this thread, I've been trying to make up some kind of oddity that people would find funny/strange. When I think I've got one, I read a new post that's better than the one I made up!  :-)

[Mmm_Donuts]

When I first moved onto the boat it was like a whole secret world opening up to me - not being on a boat per se, just the act of defying society's expectations and breaking out of the box. Having questioned something as fundamental as needing to live in a house or apartment felt liberating, and kind of like Neo in the Martix realising that the rules of physics are artifical and he can bend them. What else could I chose to do differently?

^^^ I love this!

[andy85]

Ooh I like this idea. I look forward to the diversity of answers that might pop up.
I think I'm "weird" because I'm split between a couple different sub-groups in weird ways. As in, depending on what context you meet me, you might expect I drive a prius, or you might expect me to be a super conservative christian... both of these are quite incorrect.

Scarily similar to me...minus the menstrual cup :) lol

i got a little of a lot of the traits in your OP...which is the Libertarian in me i suppose. Self-sufficiency interests me. Part hippie, prepper, wanna be gardener, handyman, big time introvert. I kind of consider myself odd....the gun toting small government guy who is kind of anti-war with social/environmental leanings towards the left.

I'm weird in the same way: I agree with the entire Bill of Rights, including not only the 1st (which the Republicans disregard) or the 2nd (which the Democrats hate), but also the 9th and 10th (which the entire Federal government has completely ignored since at least the Civil War, if not earlier).

Moreover, I'm not convinced that's actually weird. I suspect people like us are actually a majority of Americans; it's just that the two halves of the authoritarian party have colluded with the media to use wedge issues to force us to choose sides, resulting in a whole bunch of people who think they're "liberal" or "conservative" but who actually only agree with 51% of the "liberal" or "conservative" party's platform, respectively.

Just wanted to say that it is not possible for me to agree with you more. Well said.

...carry on...

[rubybeth]

I know how to ride a unicycle and sing in the operatic style. I can do both simultaneously, if asked nicely.

Lols. I can walk on stilts and sing opera at the same time (well!). I sing- a lot.

That's awesome! I've never tried stilts but learned to uni at 16. I absolutely love singing, but I am a soprano and can be really loud and sometimes feel very self-conscious about it, especially practicing in my apartment. Ah, well, none of the neighbors have complained (yet). :) What's your favorite thing to sing?

[KittyFooFoo]

obsessed with chess.  USCF 2200 if there are any chess players on here.

[Bracken_Joy]

I thought of more!

I love dystopian future literature (think 1984 or even the hunger games) and post apocalyptic video games.
When I read, I get incredibly absorbed. Once, when I was young, I didn't notice an (admittedly small) earthquake because I was reading.
I was heavily addicted to world of warcraft for 4 years.
I have broken all but one of my toes (and not at the same time).

Have you played anything in the Bioshock series?

Of course! Love the story and environment, hate the mechanics of the game play =) As a result, I only played the original, but I've watched youtube play throughs by other people. Usually Day[9]. Bonus: then I don't have to buy them.

I thought of more!
...
I have broken all but one of my toes (and not at the same time).

Ok I've got to ask, what is it that you do that so frequently results in broken toes??

A few different things. Ballet, particularly when I tried to learn Pointe, accounted for quite a few of those. As did other forms of dance and gymnastics. Umm, soccer for 1, outside of my foot clipped a goal post. No wait, for 2, I also had a crushing break on one when a goalpost we were moving was dropped on my foot. Horseback riding and being a flippin idiot as a kid I got dragged by a stirrup and broke some of my foot bones and the center toes (hardest to get at usually)! 1 when I was learning to spar in tae known do. The only recent on is that I've broken one trail running in AZ when I hit a rock. (I know this adds to more than 10, I've broken a lot of them twice... worse on my R foot than L, and my poor pinky toes...)

Basically, lots of really stupid shit. I'm very active and I'm also clumsy. It's a potent combination. But I've never broken any bones other than toes/metatarsals/parts of a finger, which I think is pretty good!

I thought of more!

I love dystopian future literature (think 1984 or even the hunger games) and post apocalyptic video games.
When I read, I get incredibly absorbed. Once, when I was young, I didn't notice an (admittedly small) earthquake because I was reading.
I was heavily addicted to world of warcraft for 4 years.
I have broken all but one of my toes (and not at the same time).

Have you played anything in the Bioshock series?

And if I may add have you played the Last of Us? Very mustachian game! Also any post apocalyptic recommendations? I also love that stuff.

I have played the Last of Us and LOVE IT. (Okay, so I watched Day[9]'s walkthrough... the Mustachian approach!)

As far as recommendations, I haven't played *that* many, probably all ones other people have heard of.
-Bioshock (1 is best, 2 is good, I thought infinite was kinda meh but still has play value)
-Last of Us (one of my favorite games of all time)
-Fallout, of course! I've played 2, 3, and am working on 4. (Okay, I watched a boyfriend play 2, full disclosure).
-Half life is always good
-Halo technically counts! haha
-Left for dead (I actually really enjoy the story mode on this, although it's not a strong story, but the gameplay is great)
-Deus Ex
-Final fantasy technically counts, so of COURSE final fantasy 7 needs to be on that list. There's a reason it's cited as one of the best games of all time, full stop.

That's all I can think of off the top of my head, other people should jump in and add to the list! Don't make me the weird one here ;)

[Jakejake]

I'm surprised at how many of the random things listed here fit me. Atheist, lived on a boat for half a year (had to row a smaller boat to get to shore), I have a tv now, but lived 12 years without one, had stilts that my dad built for us when I was a kid.

Weirdness about me, according to my students at least, is that I'm perpetually bodging things together in weird ways to make them work. Making my own electric socks, building a dehydrator out of our lawn cart, back in the day I had "disposable" digital cameras in my classroom rigged up so we could download the pics ourselves and reuse them instead of taking them to the drugstore to process. Before that, as a teen, I was collecting random street trash to turn into musical instruments.

[mm1970]

This should have American in the title because so much of this is cultural. It's weird for me to see so many people in this thread highlight that being atheist is weird. Nearly all of my friends and acquaintances are atheist/non religious. I can only think of 3 or 4 people I know who regularly go to church.

I line dry clothes and have never owned a dryer, but again so does everyone else I know (I have one friend who has a dryer).

In terms of what makes me weird in my social circles, meta cognition is my favourite thing. I always want to know why something is the way it is. I'm very much aware of cultural and moral relativism.

The vast majority of my social circle is also non-religious. I don't feel that it's weird, though there are certainly parts of the country where it might be.

I grew up in a very Catholic town. My family is pretty religious, and many of my friends are also religious.

But I'd have to say, my local "tribe" here in CA is very much atheist or agnostic, for the most part.

[mm1970]

I'm into frugal cooking, and have a frugal food blog, which my friends think is weird. (That at times I've calculated the cost per serving).

Can you share the blog site please?!

Well, I've been slacking off most of this year, but there's still a lot of good stuff in the history.

http://frugalhealthysimple.blogspot.com/

[Bracken_Joy]

I'm surprised at how many of the random things listed here fit me. Atheist, lived on a boat for half a year (had to row a smaller boat to get to shore), I have a tv now, but lived 12 years without one, had stilts that my dad built for us when I was a kid.

Weirdness about me, according to my students at least, is that I'm perpetually bodging things together in weird ways to make them work. Making my own electric socks, building a dehydrator out of our lawn cart, back in the day I had "disposable" digital cameras in my classroom rigged up so we could download the pics ourselves and reuse them instead of taking them to the drugstore to process. Before that, as a teen, I was collecting random street trash to turn into musical instruments.

You're like a boat-dwelling mad scientist! I love it.

[Doubleh]

A few different things. Ballet, particularly when I tried to learn Pointe, accounted for quite a few of those. As did other forms of dance and gymnastics. Umm, soccer for 1, outside of my foot clipped a goal post. No wait, for 2, I also had a crushing break on one when a goalpost we were moving was dropped on my foot. Horseback riding and being a flippin idiot as a kid I got dragged by a stirrup and broke some of my foot bones and the center toes (hardest to get at usually)! 1 when I was learning to spar in tae known do. The only recent on is that I've broken one trail running in AZ when I hit a rock. (I know this adds to more than 10, I've broken a lot of them twice... worse on my R foot than L, and my poor pinky toes...)

Thanks for replying - wow, kudos to you! Remind me never to pick a fight with you ;)

[mm1970]

obsessed with chess.  USCF 2200 if there are any chess players on here.

My nine year old is obsessed with chess.

[Bracken_Joy]

A few different things. Ballet, particularly when I tried to learn Pointe, accounted for quite a few of those. As did other forms of dance and gymnastics. Umm, soccer for 1, outside of my foot clipped a goal post. No wait, for 2, I also had a crushing break on one when a goalpost we were moving was dropped on my foot. Horseback riding and being a flippin idiot as a kid I got dragged by a stirrup and broke some of my foot bones and the center toes (hardest to get at usually)! 1 when I was learning to spar in tae known do. The only recent on is that I've broken one trail running in AZ when I hit a rock. (I know this adds to more than 10, I've broken a lot of them twice... worse on my R foot than L, and my poor pinky toes...)

Thanks for replying - wow, kudos to you! Remind me never to pick a fight with you ;)

Haha! This is the second time this month a forum member has alluded to not wanting to fight me. I swear I'm not scary! And trust me, there is no graceful dignity where I stoically face down the pain of a broken bone. No, there is a lot of whimpering, rolling around, clutching at body parts, and general carrying-on. I can't imagine what I would do if I broke a long bone.

Except for the AZ trail running toe break. I actually felt pretty bad-ass on that one. I was in the middle of a desert, still like 3 miles from the car. So after a small amount of whimpering and swearing, I just kept running. Didn't even check my foot- I didn't want to risk unlacing the shoe.

I'm also a goddamn idiot, and didn't want to pass up a chance to hike Zion three days later, so I hiked it with a broken toe. Not my smartest move. It healed a bit... crooked. I can't wear high heels at all anymore =\

[FLBiker]

Threads where you ask people to talk about themselves always get a big response.  I bet most people who post here won't even read the previous posts, in their hurry to talk rather than listen.

Ha!  This made me laugh (as I hurriedly scrolled to the end of the thread to post about myself).

Probably the weirdest non-Mustache thing about me is that I'm Buddhist.  And I don't mean that in the "I read Buddhist books and sometimes meditate" sense, although that was true for years.  I mean it in the sense that I'm part of a local sangha, I've taken the refuge vows, I work regularly with a teacher, I sit and read everyday, go on multiple 4-5 day silent retreats every year, etc.  Crazily (to me) I went to Taiwan in 1999 in large part because I was interested in Buddhism / Taoism, but it wasn't until I was in Tampa that I found my sangha.  Starting in January, I've committed to a formal Dharma transmission program that my teacher is offering, where a group of us are committing to an hour of daily sitting, an hour of daily study, bi-weekly group meetings, 4 weekend retreats, 3 4-5 day retreats and a 7-day solitary retreat (per year).  The commitment is for 5 years.

I don't think this has much to do with my FIRE timeline, although I imagine the retreat line item on my budget is bigger than most.  I absolutely intend to spend more time in this area once I'm FIRE'd though.

Oh, and not having cable isn't remotely weird on this forum.  Having cable might be.

[Orvell]

A few different things. Ballet, particularly when I tried to learn Pointe, accounted for quite a few of those. As did other forms of dance and gymnastics. Umm, soccer for 1, outside of my foot clipped a goal post. No wait, for 2, I also had a crushing break on one when a goalpost we were moving was dropped on my foot. Horseback riding and being a flippin idiot as a kid I got dragged by a stirrup and broke some of my foot bones and the center toes (hardest to get at usually)! 1 when I was learning to spar in tae known do. The only recent on is that I've broken one trail running in AZ when I hit a rock. (I know this adds to more than 10, I've broken a lot of them twice... worse on my R foot than L, and my poor pinky toes...)

Thanks for replying - wow, kudos to you! Remind me never to pick a fight with you ;)

Haha! This is the second time this month a forum member has alluded to not wanting to fight me. I swear I'm not scary! And trust me, there is no graceful dignity where I stoically face down the pain of a broken bone. No, there is a lot of whimpering, rolling around, clutching at body parts, and general carrying-on. I can't imagine what I would do if I broke a long bone.

Except for the AZ trail running toe break. I actually felt pretty bad-ass on that one. I was in the middle of a desert, still like 3 miles from the car. So after a small amount of whimpering and swearing, I just kept running. Didn't even check my foot- I didn't want to risk unlacing the shoe.

I'm also a goddamn idiot, and didn't want to pass up a chance to hike Zion three days later, so I hiked it with a broken toe. Not my smartest move. It healed a bit... crooked. I can't wear high heels at all anymore =\

:P
I'm pretty sure all you've done is confirm that you are a badass.

[Bracken_Joy]

A few different things. Ballet, particularly when I tried to learn Pointe, accounted for quite a few of those. As did other forms of dance and gymnastics. Umm, soccer for 1, outside of my foot clipped a goal post. No wait, for 2, I also had a crushing break on one when a goalpost we were moving was dropped on my foot. Horseback riding and being a flippin idiot as a kid I got dragged by a stirrup and broke some of my foot bones and the center toes (hardest to get at usually)! 1 when I was learning to spar in tae known do. The only recent on is that I've broken one trail running in AZ when I hit a rock. (I know this adds to more than 10, I've broken a lot of them twice... worse on my R foot than L, and my poor pinky toes...)

Thanks for replying - wow, kudos to you! Remind me never to pick a fight with you ;)

Haha! This is the second time this month a forum member has alluded to not wanting to fight me. I swear I'm not scary! And trust me, there is no graceful dignity where I stoically face down the pain of a broken bone. No, there is a lot of whimpering, rolling around, clutching at body parts, and general carrying-on. I can't imagine what I would do if I broke a long bone.

Except for the AZ trail running toe break. I actually felt pretty bad-ass on that one. I was in the middle of a desert, still like 3 miles from the car. So after a small amount of whimpering and swearing, I just kept running. Didn't even check my foot- I didn't want to risk unlacing the shoe.

I'm also a goddamn idiot, and didn't want to pass up a chance to hike Zion three days later, so I hiked it with a broken toe. Not my smartest move. It healed a bit... crooked. I can't wear high heels at all anymore =\

:P
I'm pretty sure all you've done is confirm that you are a badass.

New MMM blog-post: "finding badassity in injuries that are certainly Your Own Goddamn Fault"

[Orvell]

:P
I'm pretty sure all you've done is confirm that you are a badass.

New MMM blog-post: "finding badassity in injuries that are certainly Your Own Goddamn Fault"

*cackles*
I'd probably read it. ;P

[The_path_less_taken]

I love this thread. Not sure how weird you wanna go though...

I save my hair, as in from the hairbrush. It's waist length, and saw something once where people weave it into stuff and though: man, that's cool. Have probably enough for a vest now.

Devout agnostic.

Used to ride Brahma bulls. (poorly, but hey...no one rides them perfectly)

When I broke a collar bone doing the above, I all of a sudden became afraid of heights...as in stood on a ladder and couldn't screw in a light bulb because my hand was shaking too much. My solution? Go skydiving.  (it worked, I'm fine with heights again)

Skydiving was fascinating so took ground school for pilots.

Race camels in Virginia City, NV.

Have BLM burros and do parades with the WildAssWomen of NV.

Read maybe 3 books a week. (I consider this normal: 5 books a week is extreme)

Know basic salutations in 37 languages (from working in casinos).

Used to drive taxi.

Have picked up a live rattlesnake.

Have been to every state but Hawaii. Drove the Alcan several times.

Commercial fished for halibut in Alaska.

Have been chased by a moose, twice.

Have been stalked by a brown bear while on snowshoes in Wyoming. I'd made a loop through a meadow and when I got back to my original trail, his bigass feet were stomped right through my snowshoe tracks...

Don't facebook/twitter/whatever....have an ancient flip phone and give a crap what people think. Although it is pretty funny to see the amazement on their faces when I pull it out. "They still make those???" is the average comment.

That's all I'm willing to cop to.  ;-0

[AgentCooper]

OP here:  Very interesting, awesome answers, all.  Thank you for playing!  Some of mine will repeat what others have said, because my point in starting the thread was to see where we have shared weirdness.  And I was thinking "weird" as in "weird to non-Mustachians."

Tech
Worked for a company that sold cell phones, and was a top seller, but never owned one till 2012 (a flip)
No smartphone until 2015 (and then primarily because it is cheaper than landline with DSL)
Have never carried a cell phone on my person daily unless I was job-hunting and awaiting calls
No intention to put a smartphone or tablet in my kids’ hands until high school or college years
Only Apple device I’ve ever owned is an ipod Shuffle (RIP in a desk drawer since 2014)
Haven’t owned a microwave since 2000

Debt
Never been in a contract with a mobile phone carrier
Never had a car loan or mortgage
Haven’t been to the mall since 2014

Health & Environment
Health Nut
Failed Vegetarian.  Have tried it multiple times and always tap out somewhere between 2 weeks and several months into it.
Started dabbling in Paleo/Primal the day before the “Bacon is a Deadly Killer” news came out some weeks ago
Homesteader
Freecycler (e.g., part of my chicken run is made of discarded fence panels found curbside)
Zero artificial sweeteners
Avoid plastics, sugars, edible food-like substances (e.g., store bread)
Refuse plastic bags for small purchases, and cashiers are incredulous
Trying to greatly reduce consumption of bread, grains, and meat
I’m anti-antibacterial soap
Make my own shampoo, detergent, and deodorant
Our 1-acre homestead includes an organic/all-natural garden, orchard, and 20 to 80 meat and egg animals at any given time
Looking to replace as much of our yard’s grass as possible, with a combination of flower gardens (for our two beehives) and xeriscaping

Lifestyle
Pandemic planner, but not a Doomsday Prepper
Would love a smaller home, like 1000 sq ft, one day – maybe when the kids are grown
Lived in a church for a year in my 20’s
Have quit at least two jobs on moral grounds
Also agree that doing things by hand is better.  I often pick up a handsaw even when my circular saw is already plugged in and ready to use.

Appearance
No tattoos, but yes on facial hair – Goatee
Haircut is much shorter than most men I know:  1/8 inch crew cut

Entertainment
Huge fan of movies and get so extremely absorbed in movies (especially if at the cinema) that I will sometimes forget what day it is, what month it is, and some parts of who I am (a little bit)
Have never had cable TV
Love doing laundry
Have been convinced since about 1990 that one day all music will be techno.  Have nodded to myself sagely (“You were right”) as the growth of Electronic Dance Music has infiltrated nearly all pop songs.  Resent Mumford & Son’s attempts to reverse that trend.  Faves are funny lyrics with odd music like Cake and Jurassic 5.
Introvert
I would pay good money NOT to have to attend an office Christmas party or other social event
No social media accounts
Not a Buddhist like *FL Biker* but one of my favorite authors has always been Jack Kerouac, though I’ve given up on recommending him to people because I’ve never found anyone else who appreciates his works.

Attended a university where football is the first thing you think of when you hear the university’s name, and worked in a building 30 steps from the stadium, and have never attended a game there.  Can’t stand watching sports unless it’s live and I’m there in person because someone gave me a ticket, and then it is almost bearable.  If you offered me a $100 bill to name three current NFL quarterbacks off the top of my head, I’d have to immediately give up.  I have a diatribe about how the televised NFL is the modern equivalent of the ancient Roman games in the Colosseum, meant to be a show of colors, motion and violence that will successfully distract the citizenry from what is really going on in the country -- which is a lot of stuff, but you know, for example, that we are waging wars in 10 countries at a time at any given time, there is widespread corruption at all levels, unfathomably high waste of taxpayer dollars, and the sale of natural resources to the highest bidders.


Most of my current habits mesh pretty well with Mustachianism except homesteading, which is an expensive way to obtain food on a small scale, but still worth it for health reasons and because it's enjoyable and gives us an additional purpose and motivation in life.

[jeromedawg]

I thought of more!

I love dystopian future literature (think 1984 or even the hunger games) and post apocalyptic video games.
When I read, I get incredibly absorbed. Once, when I was young, I didn't notice an (admittedly small) earthquake because I was reading.
I was heavily addicted to world of warcraft for 4 years.
I have broken all but one of my toes (and not at the same time).

Have you played anything in the Bioshock series?

Of course! Love the story and environment, hate the mechanics of the game play =) As a result, I only played the original, but I've watched youtube play throughs by other people. Usually Day[9]. Bonus: then I don't have to buy them.

I thought of more!
...
I have broken all but one of my toes (and not at the same time).

Ok I've got to ask, what is it that you do that so frequently results in broken toes??

A few different things. Ballet, particularly when I tried to learn Pointe, accounted for quite a few of those. As did other forms of dance and gymnastics. Umm, soccer for 1, outside of my foot clipped a goal post. No wait, for 2, I also had a crushing break on one when a goalpost we were moving was dropped on my foot. Horseback riding and being a flippin idiot as a kid I got dragged by a stirrup and broke some of my foot bones and the center toes (hardest to get at usually)! 1 when I was learning to spar in tae known do. The only recent on is that I've broken one trail running in AZ when I hit a rock. (I know this adds to more than 10, I've broken a lot of them twice... worse on my R foot than L, and my poor pinky toes...)

Basically, lots of really stupid shit. I'm very active and I'm also clumsy. It's a potent combination. But I've never broken any bones other than toes/metatarsals/parts of a finger, which I think is pretty good!

I thought of more!

I love dystopian future literature (think 1984 or even the hunger games) and post apocalyptic video games.
When I read, I get incredibly absorbed. Once, when I was young, I didn't notice an (admittedly small) earthquake because I was reading.
I was heavily addicted to world of warcraft for 4 years.
I have broken all but one of my toes (and not at the same time).

Have you played anything in the Bioshock series?

And if I may add have you played the Last of Us? Very mustachian game! Also any post apocalyptic recommendations? I also love that stuff.

I have played the Last of Us and LOVE IT. (Okay, so I watched Day[9]'s walkthrough... the Mustachian approach!)

As far as recommendations, I haven't played *that* many, probably all ones other people have heard of.
-Bioshock (1 is best, 2 is good, I thought infinite was kinda meh but still has play value)
-Last of Us (one of my favorite games of all time)
-Fallout, of course! I've played 2, 3, and am working on 4. (Okay, I watched a boyfriend play 2, full disclosure).
-Half life is always good
-Halo technically counts! haha
-Left for dead (I actually really enjoy the story mode on this, although it's not a strong story, but the gameplay is great)
-Deus Ex
-Final fantasy technically counts, so of COURSE final fantasy 7 needs to be on that list. There's a reason it's cited as one of the best games of all time, full stop.

That's all I can think of off the top of my head, other people should jump in and add to the list! Don't make me the weird one here ;)

I didn't get through finishing Bioshock 1 LOL but I finished Bioshock Infinite. I actually enjoyed the game play otherwise. It does take some getting used to with all the Vigors, etc since the combinations can get crazy. There are some nice Youtube vids on Vigor combos that work well in Infinite. I need to get Bioshock 1 up and running - too bad I only have the PC version as Mac is what I primarily use now.

Deus Ex is pretty awesome too. I recently got Human Revolution for $1 from some deal not long ago. Love it. Can't wait to try out Mankind Divided. My wife just rolls her eyes every time I get into this stuff.

I was watching through some of the latest Wolfenstein walkthroughs on Youtube and it looks pretty awesome as well - since my wife mostly forbids me from buying and playing video games, my only outlet is to vicariously live through Youtube vids of people playing the game....LOL!!!

[FLBiker]

Not a Buddhist like *FL Biker* but one of my favorite authors has always been Jack Kerouac, though I’ve given up on recommending him to people because I’ve never found anyone else who appreciates his works.

Ha!  I wrote a bunch of papers on Kerouac in college.  Loved him!

[Jack]

I have five strange things in my apartment that apparently nobody has ever seen before, based on people's reactions.

3. A framed surgical report of my tubal ligation

So far, I think this is the weirdest thing in the thread.

- My boss to the 4th power is the President of the United States;

Do you mean four levels up (which would make you some kind of Admiral?!), or n⁴ where n is some number presumably between 1 (which would mean you were the President yourself) and 2 (which would make you a... pre-cadet, I guess?) I'm not sure if the U.S. Navy, including the President, has 16 different ranks in the same hierarchy.

When I read, I get incredibly absorbed. Once, when I was young, I didn't notice an (admittedly small) earthquake because I was reading.

I used to read sci-fi novels in class instead of paying attention to the teacher (or anything else). Often I'd get my book taken away because the teacher would ask me to answer a question and I didn't notice. I also occasionally missed my gifted class (which I had to get up and go to on my own) because I'd be so busy reading that I lost track of time.

I'm also a goddamn idiot, and didn't want to pass up a chance to hike Zion three days later, so I hiked it with a broken toe. Not my smartest move. It healed a bit... crooked. I can't wear high heels at all anymore =\

Don't worry; at the rate you're going, sooner or later you'll just break it again and have a chance to put it back straight!

Another weird thing about me: I've never broken a bone, ever. I thought I broke my arm once, when I fell of my bike a year or so ago, but it turns out the urgent-care doc didn't read the x-ray correctly.

[NorCal]

I have a solid Libertarian streak and believe global warming is a bunch of psuedo-scientific mumbo jumbo.  Yet my efforts to use less energy for the sake of using less have reduced my carbon footprint to well below that of the average global warming activist (not to mention the average Tesla owner).

Essentially, I'm the guy who would buy a used Leaf or Volt for financial reasons, but put an NRA sticker on it just to prove I'm not one of those mindless environmental drones roaming the Bay Area.  And it would be fun to confuse everyone.

[sol]

Devout agnostic.

Does anyone else think this is an oxymoron?

[Vertical Mode]

Devout agnostic.

Does anyone else think this is an oxymoron?

In this case, I took it to be a synonym for "passionate". As in, agnostic and wholeheartedly so. Taken literally, you're probably right, sol.

[zinethstache]

Love this thread! Read through it all:)

Trying to think of some outlying, non-MMM weirdness...

So, here's what comes to mind.

I have really bad genes and so far have had 6 body parts removed, 5 were not optional, 2 were optional of which 1, I was just plain stubborn and refused to have removed. I dread when I have a physical ailment because the chances are very high that I will be sent to a surgeon who will say "you need surgery", we need to remove x, no it is not optional. The latest was my disk at L5-S1, and that was after two unsuccessful Discectomies. I've had my left eye removed (birth defect), my Appendix removed (right after the second eye socket reconstruction surgery when I was 16), my wisdom teeth pulled, all 4 at once when I was 19. I refused to have my tonsils removed after ongoing throat problems as at that point I was DONE with surgeries. After many healthy years I had major shoulder issues which was yes, genetic, so they burred off arthritis (calcium growths) and reshaped my bone to prevent the next wave of growth to poke into my ligaments. Finally, last December I had that disc removed (also birth defect x2 that finally caused a massive rupture in 2013, I had no idea I had those back problems until it was too late).

Ok, now on to the similar to the MMM community affinities (you can stop reading now if you are looking for just the weird):

I love all things post-apoclyptic even though sadly I will be one of the first to go thanks to my horrific genes. I too play/ed many of the computer games mentioned (currently loving Fallout 4). Read all the books etc.

Even with a history of health issues, I manage to bounce back and stay very active (ok too active) - against everyone's recommendations of course:) I work alot, also defying Doctors orders.

Like many mustachians I have always made $$$, I like being busy and have no problem assigning a value for my time. Due to said health issues I feel life is short and must be lived to the fullest. This annoys DH and Doctors alike.

Even before my back ruptured I knew that my time was valuable and likely my remaining healthy years would be short, so I plotted and schemed my exit plan which was put into action back in 2010 (pre MMM - found MMM in 2013). DH left the work force first in 2011 and I plan to join him in another year. We have big RV travel plans, I cannot wait! DH says I cannot execute the last step of my plan (my RE) until I've been healthy 12 months straight! ACK, for me that COULD be a show stopper.

I Look forward to selling our clown house for a small, easy-upkeep, tenant friendly property. (We own multiple rental properties and hope to live in 1/2 of this one)

DH and I DIY just about anything. For any given situation after deciding DIY is a no go I will drag my feet and seek professional help, or decide that the issue can just "be".

I cannot think of a single instance of eating in a restaurant this year with DH. We are both anti restaurant, preferring his home cooking any day. It pains us both to go out, order something that is inferior to what he can cook, and pay way too much for the privilege of eating it.

I've failed every year since 2013 at the "buy no new clothes in xxxx" - however this year I've done great, and only made one purchase, a navy blue fleece jacket that was partly funded by a corporate award. I definitely would not have bought it had I paid full price:) I am standing strong now at mid November and think I can hold out through December. DH has not fared as well, he has purchased shoes, shoes, socks, shorts and a pair of sweat pants.

DH never, ever wears anything other than shorts or sweats, period. I look forward to that day:)

I will wear clothing multiple times, no problem. They need to need to be cleaned before I will wash them.

DH enjoys grocery shopping and providing me the receipt highlighted with all the discounts and overall discount.

[Cpa Cat]

- I'm a woman and I still enjoy playing late 1990s/early 2000s civilisation-building-type computer games. (Pharaoh, Dungeon Keeper II, Age of Empires II...)

I think it's more weird that there's two of us.

Pharoah - right there on my Desktop. A game I've played through dozens of times. Now, I'll admit, that I generally like the updated graphics of every Civ game that comes down the pipe. But Pharoah... it's timeless.

[jeromedawg]

- I'm a woman and I still enjoy playing late 1990s/early 2000s civilisation-building-type computer games. (Pharaoh, Dungeon Keeper II, Age of Empires II...)

I think it's more weird that there's two of us.

Pharoah - right there on my Desktop. A game I've played through dozens of time. Now, I'll admit, that I generally like the updated graphics of every Civ game that comes down the pipe. But Pharoah... it's timeless.

SimCity 2000 and all the associated cheat codes. I once built a metropolis of evenly-created residential, industrial, and commercial zones in a perfectly square grid with all zones, bodies of water and everything else nearly symmetrical. The metropolis and all its glorious denizens denigrated into a crime-ridden, poverty-stricken wasteland of closed businesses and foreclosed homes. I guess that's what I get for cheating... at least I had gajillions of dollars bwahahahaha.

Other fun games of my past: Dungeon Master (throwing apples and bread at mummies to kill them), Oregon Trail (c'mon now, this is a classic), and Rise of the Dragon.

EDIT: crud, this is totally bringing me down memory lane as far as PC Games are concerned - the original Rainbow Six, Doom & Doom II, Wolfenstein 3D, Kings Quest series, Police Quest series, and who can forget Leisure Suit Larry? I remember typing funny things in those RPG prompts (including cuss words) and having a ball cracking up at the responses that were given back.

[andyp2010]

People get very funny with me because I don't really like animals. I like parrots that swear once in a blue moon and I understand using an animal for its utility (farm animals, hunting dogs, blind dogs etc) but beyond that, I can't see the appeal. I think it's me not wanting to create dependency in others.

It's similar to the reaction my girlfriend gets when she says she's a vegetarian. Everyone tries to prove to you you're doing it wrong. I can't see the point though. I love people but I have no compulsion to 'own' one and I don't get 'owning' animals.

Liking Simcity and AOE 2 isn't weird, that's just universal :)

[jeromedawg]

People get very funny with me because I don't really like animals. I like parrots that swear once in a blue moon and I understand using an animal for its utility (farm animals, hunting dogs, blind dogs etc) but beyond that, I can't see the appeal. I think it's me not wanting to create dependency in others.

It's similar to the reaction my girlfriend gets when she says she's a vegetarian. Everyone tries to prove to you you're doing it wrong. I can't see the point though. I love people but I have no compulsion to 'own' one and I don't get 'owning' animals.

Liking Simcity and AOE 2 isn't weird, that's just universal :)

Simcity is weird if you play it the way I did :D

[Nancy]

-Left for dead (I actually really enjoy the story mode on this, although it's not a strong story, but the gameplay is great)

PEELZ HERE!

I totally forgot about L4D. Good times! Always played as Louis with the shotgun. 

[jeromedawg]

-Left for dead (I actually really enjoy the story mode on this, although it's not a strong story, but the gameplay is great)

PEELZ HERE!

I totally forgot about L4D. Good times! Always played as Louis with the shotgun.

seriously.... stupid witches and tanks.

[Sailor Sam]

I love dystopian future literature (think 1984 or even the hunger games) and post apocalyptic video games.

Have you read Head Full of Mountains by Brent Hayward? Beautiful language, but incredibly strange dystopian novel. It's a little like Catch-22 in that the reader has no idea what the fuck is going on, but no 'ah ha' at the end. Just lots of confusion. So, if you do read it, can you please what actually happened?

What about Riddley Walker? Or the Gate to Women's Country? Have you read these? You must read these! Like, right now. Go!

[Bracken_Joy]

I love dystopian future literature (think 1984 or even the hunger games) and post apocalyptic video games.

Have you read Head Full of Mountains by Brent Hayward? Beautiful language, but incredibly strange dystopian novel. It's a little like Catch-22 in that the reader has no idea what the fuck is going on, but no 'ah ha' at the end. Just lots of confusion. So, if you do read it, can you please what actually happened?

What about Riddley Walker? Or the Gate to Women's Country? Have you read these? You must read these! Like, right now. Go!

I haven't read ANY of these (other than catch-22). Added to my reading list.

100%, feel free to keep going with the recommendations!

[shelivesthedream]

- I'm a woman and I still enjoy playing late 1990s/early 2000s civilisation-building-type computer games. (Pharaoh, Dungeon Keeper II, Age of Empires II...)

I think it's more weird that there's two of us.

Pharoah - right there on my Desktop. A game I've played through dozens of times. Now, I'll admit, that I generally like the updated graphics of every Civ game that comes down the pipe. But Pharoah... it's timeless.

Wow! I'm really surprised and happy to find someone else who appreciates the glory of simple grid-based graphics and cunning city mechanics. I actually only finished Pharaoh about two months ago! The copy I had way back when had a glitch that deleted my family history every so often, so I've played the first half dozens of times. Re-bought it during a dry spell for work this summer and played it through to the end. Did DK2 earlier this year. I'm rationing myself, though, so no more until at least the New Year. Next up is probably Rollercoaster Tycoon!

[The_path_less_taken]

Devout agnostic.

Does anyone else think this is an oxymoron?

In this case, I took it to be a synonym for "passionate". As in, agnostic and wholeheartedly so. Taken literally, you're probably right, sol.

Bingo.

Was raised Catholic...in 4th grade started throwing up in church because it was very much "not me". <not wanting to get into religious conversation....it just didn't mesh with my personal philosophy>

So many forms-- even medical forms prior to surgery--- demand some form of conventional religion or insist you put atheist.

I'm agnostic. But lean more towards some combo of Robert Heinlan/Zen I guess...

(but really: agnostic)

[Spork]

Devout agnostic.

Does anyone else think this is an oxymoron?

I am unable to decide.