Untypically Typical

After finally settling to stuff ourselves (my office-mates and I) with Persian-inspired gastronomical delights one lunch-time a few weeks back, a now-defunct office-mate decided he wanted to know more about yours truly.

While waiting for the waiter to deliver the curry-based chicken dish I ordered, ex-office-mate proceeds to chat while awaiting his lamb chop meal:

Ex-Office Mate: So, what do you like to do? What are your likes and hobbies?

Easy enough question ... I answer: When not in the office I like to read sci-fi and fantasy ...

Ex-Office Mate: Ahh, ok so what else do you do? How about music?

Ram: I like to listen to rock music -- alternative, OPM rock, glam -- but I also like to other genres as long as the melody's ok and it's something that catches my fancy.

Ex-Office Mate: Ok, eh what else about you?

Ram: Hmm, I also am somewhat of a couch potato ... I like to watch TV, DVDs, especially now TV series ... I also like to play video games ...

Ex-Office Mate: Ahh, ok so you're one of those typical individuals ...

Bang! That last line about being typical hit home. It stung somehow.

I guess I shouldn't react since that remark came from someone who was obviously not typical. I mean the guy liked dark clothing, was a nocturnal creature, played the type of music your local parish priest would balk at, and whose total lifestyle revolved the color black.

But I digress. Being stereo-typed as "typical" was something unexpected. I mean, since I was little I knew I sported my own individuality and I was aware that the things I liked were not your run-of-mill stuff.

At an early age, I easily made friends with fictional book characters than with the neighborhood kids. You can even brand me a geek with the hobbies I managed to pick up -- super hero comics, Dungeons & Dragons, Hi-Fantasy (think Tolkien). I was not your typical social animal as I preferred my lonesome over the company of people who I think only wasted my time. Friends were few but were good friends who I actually relished being with.

Even up to now, I like to watch cartoons albeit more mature-themed ones that is. And my fave shows and movies revolve around sci-fi and fantasy and anything that is fantastic.

In music, my parents didn't like that I was exposed to Guns N Roses in high school and actually destroyed my falsetto with my continuous rendition of Axl Rose when I became part of a band. Aside from glam and pop rock, I also got to hear other music forms that definitely didn't appeal to the typical public -- death metal, punk metal, goth -- rendered by such bands as Iron Maiden, Danzig, Black Sabbath, etc.

In college (and in UP at that!), I was again your not-so-typical student. Though not a tibak (activist), I was a free spirit and aside from forever chasing loves and affairs, I allowed my creative side to rule (especially in non-academic pursuits). As was norm in Peyups, I dressed as differently from the common populace. While the Econ and BA coños wore signature shirts, shoes, and jeans ... I made do with what budget allowed -- Baclaran or Divisoria staples, brand rip-offs, Php 50 shirts with witty remarks and lots and lots of tshirt giveaways from Pharma companies. When I became a part of a hard-sounding rock band, added attire included customized jeans, a dog tag on a chain, lots and lots of bangles and other wrist accessories (bands, bracelets, bangles). I even sported long hair in my third and fourth year which, in its longest, reached the middle of my back. I mean, any male who underwent ROTC in UP develops this urge to grow his hair long after finishing his cadet days just to spite his former officers.

After college, though I joined the professional workforce, I knew I was still different from your typical other fellow because of my likes -- Tolkien, sci-fi and fantasy, video games, rock music, etc -- and some office-mates found me weird and somewhat geeky for these things.

But now, I am stereo-typed as typical. Probably because all those stuff I used to like have now become mainstream. Now everybody knows about Tolkien (thanks to the movies) and rock is now in. I mean, everyone listens to alternative music now (and therefore the general genre of rock). Everyone likes their share of CSIs, Star Treks, etc.

So, I guess that's where ex-office mate's opinion that I am typical came from. Now, that's not my fault if it seems I've just become one of them. It's them who caught up with my rather not-so-typical lifestyle.

So, please hinay-hinay lang sa pag-stereo type.