Smarty Pants

There are many wars going on in this country.

Gang warfare.
Drug warfare.
Race warfare.
Class warfare.

Some of these you'll never see, some you will read about, some will affect you once in a while, and some will affect you on a daily basis.

I've witnessed or been subject to these types of war.
But one that I have been brought into more recently is a war of INTELLECT.

When trying to make friends or lovers or boyfriends or whatever, everyone has their lists of wants and needs.
Whether it be their smoking habits, their religion, their dietary patterns. Everyone has quirks.

For me, I've begun to find my own quirk.
Smarts.
Intelligence.
Higher degrees.

I'm not dumb, at least I'd hope not. But I also do not read Voltaire or the Wall Street Journal. I would rather persue a trip around the world than a PhD. I read blogs about culture, not cultural analysis.

This becomes a problem when I meet someone who does the exact opposite of me.

I can't help but feel completely inferior.
Like I am somehow less.
Like I am not as passionate.
Like I am lazy.
Like I am stupid.

Some people will get so under my skin that I'll even attempt to "educate" myself so that I can "compete" in this war of the minds.
I'll attempt to read historical novels and try to keep up with the stock market.
But in the end, I get caught up in living my life instead of feeding my mind and I go back to the same old nights of DVDs and drinking.

But am I less?
Should I believe my instincts?
Who's to say that having a wall full of degrees from expensive institutions is better than of a wall full of pictures and postcards?

Although, that brings up another topic.
The people who seem to do it all.
Smart, adventurous, crafty, thrifty, musical, ect.
People who have all the time in the world and utilize so completely.
Meanwhile I sit at a desk 9 hours a day, spend over an hour commuting, and then waste the rest eating, working out or sleeping. If I find a spare 30 minutes, I sit, watch a DVD before calling it a night.
I worry, am I doing enough? Am I using my time to the fullest? How much am I missing out on?


But in the end I have to sit back and think, would that make me happy?
Or would I just feel like I'm gaining ground in the race of "who is the smartest?"

But hey, a little competition never hurt anyone.
And who knows, maybe while I try out all these crazy new things, I'll actually find something I like.

Or maybe I'll just continue to work, save, and watch all the episodes of the X-Files.
For education purposes of course.