The Category of Personal Introductions

For some reason, whenever I am part of a group of strangers who are asked to go around the room, and one by one share their name and a little something about themselves, I always go to the same fact. I am a black belt in Tae Kwon Do. I always wonder to myself why I really use this little tidbit that, although true, is not really what anyone knows me for. It's kind of an afterthought, especially among the people who know me best. I can think of a couple reasons.

The first is that this is a fact unlikely to be the same as someone else's in the room. This means that I will stand out, and people won't just hear something typical. I find that although I don't need to be the center of attention, I do like for people to think of me as different than just another face. One line I really love, though don't believe too fully, from The Picture of Dorian Gray, is stated by Lord Henry, "There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about." I love the sort of passion for life and society that exists in this quote; no one wants to be gossiped about, but no one wants to be utterly forgotten or meaningless to others. At least I don't. This is one idea.

Another is that my black belt does signify the culmination of many years of hard work and training. Getting my black belt was an accomplishment I would liken to getting my university degree. From a real Tae Kwon Do school, it isn't something done easily or quickly. I put more years into Tae Kwon Do than I have into philosophy or poetry. It has been a major part of my life for many years. Sometimes it's weird to talk about because it really isn't as much, but I suppose because I still train and have maintained much of my skill, I do think it is a large part of who I am.

The only other reason I can think of is that I don't have anything else that people would say "Wow" to. Again, this goes back to standing out, but more than being remembered, I really want to ensure that people are having a good time. For that short time when they hear me, they will have something to think about. "A black belt? Wonder what he's capable of. He doesn't look like a black belt." Etc. etc. I'm not claiming to be a great entertainer, but I do love giving people a few seconds of enjoyment. It's for this reason that when I die, I want to be buried, or at least have a burial plot and tombstone. Why take up the space? I want something humorous on my tombstone, so that random people going through and seeing it will be lightened just a little. My permanent mark left on the world, other than through friends and family, will be a small joke left in the world.

Of course, that tombstone plan assumes I'm dead before the zombie outbreak. I don't think people will be reading tombstones, or even going near graveyards much after that...