Sunday, April 29, 2012

Running gives you an alter ego

I bought new running shoes recently.  Well, truth be told, I bought a new pair of the exact same shoes (after running in several pairs and taking another one home).  But that's another story.

When I was at the store, the guy helping me pointed to a pair of bright orange shoes.  "These also might work for you," he said, "but you probably aren't interested in them".  Because, of course, they were florescent orange.  At the time, I was dressed in my work clothes.  I'm guessing it was a grey pants suit.  My everyday wardrobe is pretty much grey and black.  With a few pairs of jeans and a red shirt or two thrown in.  I'm not particularly stylish or adventuresome.

But my running clothes are all various ridiculous shades.  I have a white and green visor that Coach Craig and T can't stand.  I have an orange headband that Coach Craig once told me he couldn't even look at me in.  I have enough hot pink items that our new running buddy, Captain Internet, joked that he needs to buy a pink spandex shirt.

My dad used to always tell me I needed a hobby.  He believes it is important to have more than work in one's life, and he is right.  Hobbies also let us be someone other than who we usually are. Like a florescent color wearing crazy person.  Or a toe-shoe wearing "coach".  Or an internet personality spending an hour unplugged. 

I've been doing a bunch of interviewing at work over the past few months.  Around the end of a second interview, I invariably ask people "what do you do for fun?"  I'm trying to get a sense of their personality, and potential fit with our team.  But I'm also trying to get a sneak peak into their hobbies.  Because our alter egos are part of us, after all.  And perhaps a bigger part than we want to admit. 

1 comment:

  1. Love that interview question. I also use the following question: what music do you like? I might hear passion, like Tchaikovsky or AC/DC. Or precision and attention to detail, like Steely Dan. Or emotion, like Sinatra or Panic at the Disco. If I hear easy listening music, you're out of the running.

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