Day 4,038: Eejit

What kind of first impression do I want to give people?

Smart, probably, which is somehow so shameful to admit. Well, not somehow: I think it’s because it’s the real answer. I desperately want people to think that I’m smart. Not making that impression is terrifying, which makes it hard to admit. That’s a soft spot there.

See, when I was a kid, the most positive attention I got was when I was smart. So I stuck with that. I made it my identity. This is something I’ve talked about with my the...