I’m a nut
08/21/2006
I thought I would explain my blog title. I don’t think I ever did that. When I first started this blog, I was new here–fresh out of graduate school in Missouri. I had never been to California except for the job interview that enticed me to move here. Things were pretty strange. Of course the rest of the country thinks we are the land of the fruits and nuts. They aren’t always wrong. Look who the crazies put into office as governor. So life in Silicon Valley seemed pretty foreign to someone born in Nebraska.
Now to the “intelligent” part…I’m really not as frivolous as most women. I can talk your ear off on almost any subject. I thought I’d meet intelligent people out here. I have…for the most part. Some not so intelligent. Some real geeks. Oh, and the intelligent descriptor comes from having been over-educated. Nothing like trying to get to know some guy who thinks he’s brilliant until he finds out you have a doctorate–in chemistry of all things. Some guys don’t mind–until they do mind. Then they whine that I make them feel dumb…lesser. And it’s the single life again.
Then I noticed how much people work here…and commute. It’s nuts. People vary as to when they get to work, but nearly everyone works too much. I don’t see much great family life here. I see lots of very stressed people. Companies squeeze every drop of productivity they can out of people for as little cost as possible since the bust.
In case you wonder where I stand in the fruits or the nuts…I’m a nut. I love it out here. The weather. The fresh produce. The craziness. The fruits and nuts aren’t bad either.
Technorati: chemistry, intelligent, Silicon Valley










Melanie (Stone) Perry said,
August 22, 2006 @ 7:17 pm
I definitely appreciate the somewhat laid-back missouri life. I lived in California for a while as a child. It was nice to me then, but, back visiting as an adult (just got married in San Raf a few weeks bac), it was just a little too hustle and bustle for me most of the time.
I also understand your thing with men. I’ve also encountered the whiny, you make me feel inadequate thing.
Sadly, I do tend to take pleasure in deflating guys who try to impress me with their intelligence.
I’m not quite as intimidating as you, I’ve got a drafting associates, which is, for whatever reason, not as intimidating as a fully degree. But, I digress.
My favorite is when I’ve got an industry-related shirt or magazine, etc, and some guy starts to chat me up, ‘Oh, I know CAD. I’ve done this and that.’ And I’m like, ‘oh, really, that’s interesting. What’s your discipline?’ or ‘What do you think about the Open Design Alliance’ or ’such and such merger/buyout’?
and you get that look and suddenly they’ve got a call to make.
Whatever. I married a fellow nerd who comes to me for my thoughts on plenty of technical/logical things and respects them. It’s nicer than dating a manual laborer who has to cheat on me so he can feel like big man on campus again.
Lizzie said,
August 23, 2006 @ 7:46 am
Melanie,
It’s good to hear that I’m not the only one who experiences this. It’s rather rare.