Odd Quirks

I'll admit that part of my recent personal time has been spent on YouTube. I have a couple of channels that I follow, and this one felt kind of applicable to my blogging endeavor: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqZAxLqJkzA Speaking of YouTube...  kinda...

We as a species thrive in communities. Be being around others, we can truly learn, explore, challenge ourselves, and grow. Okay, that's all pretty rudimentary stuff. I think one thing that doesn't get the full share of the limelight is how much other people rub off on us. If you grow up and see you parents treat people kindly, you may grow up and also be kind to others. Again, seems pretty basic. I find that it can be more entertaining to think about the quirks that get passed around from person to person.

The first people to look at in terms of our quirks is our parents. I mean, we live with them for years, so some little tick may just naturally stick to you. Two of my dad's quirks immediately come to mind. When we would go get fast food and have the little cups for ketchup, my dad would use one cup to about a third left and then squeeze it all out onto a full cup. It didn't really mean much to me, but I feel like there were interactions between my dad and sister when my sister would ask "Dad, why do you do that?" and my dad would respond with a shrug or odd comment. The second quirk was also food-related, but at home. When we would have chips while watching a movie and the bag got kind of empty, my dad would go into the kitchen, grab a pair of scissors and cut off the top of the bag. That way, he wouldn't have his forearm in the bag and it was easier to seal up when he was done. These two quirks immediately come to mind because they are what I do too. I don't eat out a whole lot, but I will admit that BBQ chips are my weakness most days.

Of course, quirks can come from anyone, whether it's friends, teachers, or co-workers. A college friend of mine has a very expressive face and whenever she was skeptical of what someone said (okay, probably a farce I made up), her entire face was involved, rather than just her eyes or eyebrows. I'm not sure when it started, but I've channeled that facial expression whenever the students try to pull a fast one on me. I'm pretty sure I changed the way I wrote ones and sevens as I was involved in the Math Team my freshman year of high school. There's a co-worker here that has stretches of really liking the phrase "in a very technical sense" and I feel like I'm in her shoes when I use that phrase to prove a point.

So, YouTube fits in because even though I've never met various YouTube personalities, I feel like my writing changes as I follow different channels. When I see a lot of Zero Punctuation, my inner monologue has a sarcastic tone as I prep for clever zingers. Switch over to Tales of Mere Existence and it's more introspective and thought-provoking (at least I'd like to think so). My recent fixes have been 5-Second Films and Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal Theater, so part of me wants to just create quick quips and snappy, uh, snacks! Okay, maybe not the best example, but I still feel like things are sorta affected.

I know I have picked up other quirks from people, but I'd be curious to see if I "inspired" any out-of-the-ordinary behaviors in others. I guess if you're right-handed and find yourself wearing your watch on your right wrist, you know who to blame.