Given that I’m restarting this blog, I felt it prudent to start with a self-introduction. However, I should preface this with a note: I hate talking about myself and I will do anything to avoid it. You have been warned.

This post was originally part of Blogtober

5 Things You May Not Know About Me: Part 1

Who Am I?

I imagine most of you have no clue as to who I am or even why you’re here. Perhaps a well-meaning friend shared a link with you — and you, a kind and generous pal — clicked on it. I don’t know. What did bring you here? I’m genuinely curious, as I can’t imagine anyone outside of my direct family and friend group spending time here. For a short and sweet summary, read my About page. 

For a long-winded non-explanation, continue reading below.

Who is Anyone?

Snufkin says,

“The main thing in life is to know your own mind.”

If you are surprised by the philosophical musings of a Moominvalley character, then you haven’t been reading enough Tove Jansson. Moomin characters are constantly barraged with real-world issues: racism colonialism, changes in relationships, floods and even the end of the world. Sometimes the references are subtle — just a couple of lines of dialogue — but they are there. Two professors at the University of Jyväskylä even go as far to say that Moomins teach us humanity. But I digress.

 Oscar Wilde claimed that most people don’t know their own minds because they are too busy worrying about what other people think.

“Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone else’s opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation.”

I wish I had a clever argument for this because I want it to be false, but I think it’s true on some level. However, it doesn’t have to be a bad thing. Jorge Luis Borges gives us another take:

“I am not sure that I exist, actually. I am all the writers I have read, all the people I have met, all the women that I have loved; all the cities that I have visited.”

I have to agree with Borges here — I have moved too many times, met too many people and read too many books to say I am independent of any of those places, things or people. I believe we are products of our environments and experiences (for better or for worse) and that’s what makes each one of us unique.

Now that I have completely avoided answering my own question, I shall end this here. Again, if you want a simple summary, head to my About page.

Or, gather your impressions from this post: I’m a person who likes to think about things — but not necessarily have answers. (And loves the Moomin universe, obviously.)

I promise I’ll have more concrete answers in the next four posts. I know that sounds like a lot, but trust me, they’ll be good. Much better than this one, I swear.

And who are you? I’d love to know more about you and who you’ve read. Let me know in the comments below!