Oh Shanks, you are so right--It is such a lazy habit, for people to think that they can "know" your by fitting you into a neat little category.

It is one of my failings--I keep thinking I have gotten over its, and they some one will say something, and I realize that I have a stereotyped someone by their age, ethic background, religion, haircolor, or some other meaningless attribute. Not always negatively, but stereotyped them none the less.

A english gentleman once put a very large foot in his mouth when he asked about my background (he was surprised at my knowledge of "english" English, and when I replied I was Irish American, the words "But your intelligent!" fell out of his mouth. It is very unpleasant to find yourself stereotyped! I am always vaguely aware that the irish are not always held in high regard, not even here in US, but it rare to come face to face with it.



my other obsession