Some of the Ways I know I'm Not Normal

1. I'm a Canadian who doesn't watch or care about hockey (apparently 83% of Canadians watch hockey at least once/week; why? don't ask me, boring boring BORING)
2. With only one exception, I have little interest in watching any organized sport. I turn off the sports report, I rarely know what team is playing (or won) the Superbowl, the Stanley Cup, the World Series, the NBA championship (not even sure what that is called) ... and if/when I do find out it escapes my brain almost as quickly (seriously, I couldn't name one of last year's winners)
   
   1. The exception is Formula 1 racing, barely a sport at all and nobody I know watches it, yet before PVR I'd get up at 1am just to watch a race
3. I really couldn't care less about the Olympics, I don't feel pride in other people's (athletic) accomplishments, I don't care how many Golds or other medals we win and I don't want to see my tax money going to these athlete nor do I want to see Canada host another Olympic event
   1. It actually makes me angry seeing athletes whine about not having funding for their particular sport, as if they have some right to my money so they can play all day
4. I do not trust the IMF, World Bank, G8, USAID and most of the other global organizations that are designed to keep rich countries richer and poor countries poorer.
   1. Even as I recognize that I am a net benefactor from their actions
5. I do not believe in any God, an afterlife, or indeed any supposed supernatural states -- we are born, we live, we die and all the wishes and desires that it not be that way are unsupported fantasies
   1. I believe that most Religious leaders are and always have been atheists taking advantage of the ignorant
6. While I've nothing against the notion of having oodles of money, I am unwilling to give up my family and friendships to do so. I really do believe that money does NOT buy you happiness and I don't care if I die a pauper
   
   1. I do NOT play lotteries nor do I have interest in spending time in casinos ... lotteries are a tax on the stupid; I DO enjoy a game of poker with friends provided there are governors in place to ensure nobody loses their shirt
7. I really do not need or desire an iPhone/iPad or any other latest gadget; it is not important to me in any way, even as I can appreciate their coolness and even their technology
8. I see twitter and facebook updates as mostly a waste of time: I don't care what people ate for dinner/lunch, where they currently are (or are going to or been), how often they drink coffee, or most other nonsense that they want to post ... I like humour but most people aren't nearly as funny as they think they are (myself included)
9. I do not spend money at Tim Hortons, Starbucks, or indeed anywhere else where coffee has stupid names and flavours ... I want COFFEE FLAVOURED COFFEE (apologies Dennis Leary) and I really can't understand why anybody would want to align themselves with such corporate entities as a sign of pride
   1. Or indeed any corporate entity, if you want me to wear your logo you had best be prepared to pay me for the privilege, you'll not get any money from me to advertise for you!
10. I really don't like being in the sun, whether on the beach or on the golf course (but I love both swimming outside and playing golf); the sun makes me sick, sigh.
11. I've never seen a single episode of Lost, The Bridge, and of the CSI shows, Sex in the City, DancewiththeStars/Soyouthinkyoucandance/idolidots or indeed the vast majority of the supposed big TV series; and I really don't feel like I've missed anything

It can be lonely over here, I'd like to fit in but as you can clearly tell from that list, I do not. I suppose that is why after leaving a company I worked for over 10 years, there are but a small handful of people at said company that desire to spend time with me. My problem isn't that truth, it is that I had convinced myself that wasn't true. But I can't help being me anymore than you can help being you ... I DO recognize that I am the odd man out here, I just don't understand why that is.

That being said, its not like I'm a social misfit exactly, there are at least 10 ways I know I am Normal.