Notions: yay or nay

I wish I could dispel the notion that dancing is a sport. While I recognize its value as an intense cardiovascular workout and good route to muscular legs, real sports have points or timers, and sometimes physical contact with another team. Dancer!=Athlete.

I don't care for the notion that small talk is pleasant or necessary. As we walk back to our desks from the kitchen area, there's really no point in asking me what project I'm working on. That question really initiates an answer that is at least 30 seconds long, and we only have less than 5 seconds until we're at our desks. And then it gets awkward because you have to stand by my desk listening to me answer a question that you don't really care about. Let's walk back in silence; silence doesn't have to be awkward. It's only 5 seconds.

I dislike the notion that American Eagle (and Hollister, Abercrombie, etc) is for people who are followers. I'm tired of being subtly judged for enjoying a good brand. You haters say "I am unique, and therefore I wear unique clothing". I say "I am unique, and wear what I like. What I like happens to be what a lot of other people like. Suck it." Except since it's all really subtle, they never really say their bit aloud, and so I can't really retort with my bit.

I am bothered by the notion that working an office job means you've given into the man. We can't all be Starbucks barristas. I quite enjoy my 9-to-5-in-front-of-a-computer lifestyle. Working in an office doesn't mean my calendar is marked with Casual Friday and Office Retreat. (We're casual everyday!). Working at an office doesn't mean I work at Dunder Mifflin or wherever Dilbert works. Working in an office doesn't mean I chat by the water cooler about the bad management. Working in an office doesn't mean I've given up my dreams for the big paycheque and now I hate my life. Some people like offices.

I can hardly tolerate the notion that Information Architects are web designers. When I say "I am an IA" people either assume I can build them a website (no! I do NO coding!) or that I do graphic design (no! no!).

I cannot toleration the notion that all bloggers are here to be fantastic writers. There's been a fair amount of chatting around blogoland, complaining about the steady decline of writing quality. I harrumph at this crowd, and pump my fist while saying: Who says everything we post has to be fantasmic writing? Who says that by default we must all be here because we all love writing and want to write well and be Writers4Life? Not every post is life changing. Not every blog is life changing. I would rather read an interesting post than a well written post. Plus like half the stuff at IB really bothers me because the effort is often palpable and it reminds me of grade 10 english class when my teacher told me to try to be emotional in my writing. And not that my lexicon is huge, but it's pretty obvious when people use Thesaurus.com. Pretty obvious and pretty lame.

I abhor the notion that seems to be set in the minds of many people, mostly girls: That there is something you cannot do. I was talking to my younger sister's friend who wants to go into accounting. She said she was thinking of Waterloo, for their co-op program. I said "Waterloo is okay, but Laurier is probably the better co-op school for business, and harder to get into." She said "oh, okay, then it looks like I'll go to Waterloo." She's in grade 11! Plenty of time to work on whatever marks she needs. And she had already underestimated herself, thinking she didn't have the abilities to get into the top school. Seriously? Or did you know that almost 100% of girls who apply to engineering get in NOT because Admissions is easier on female applicants but because only females who are hugely qualified even apply. Meanwhile plenty of males who have grades 20% below the required average still apply. But girls don't even try for fear of rejection! GIRLS, COME ON.

I put forward the notion to get rid of all the aforementioned notions. All in favour?