Looking For A Freak Just Like Me

So, there I was, scrolling through my dating app, swiping left with the enthusiasm of a sloth on a Monday morning. I mean, who hasn't been there, right? The same faces, the same bios - "Loves long walks on the beach, Netflix, and puppies." I swear, if I see one more person who 'loves a good laugh', I'm going to lose it. I'm not saying I'm looking for a stand-up comedian, but a little originality wouldn't hurt, would it?

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not one of those people who think they're special snowflakes. I know I'm just as guilty of using clichés in my bio. But here's the thing, I am a bit of a freak. Not in the 'I wear a mask and chase people with a chainsaw' kind of way, but more in the 'I have a collection of vintage typewriters and I can speak fluent Elvish' kind of way. You know, the good kind of freak.

So, where are my people?

I started wondering, where are all the other freaks like me? The ones who don't just 'love a good laugh', but who can quote every line from 'The Big Lebowski'. The ones who don't just 'enjoy a good book', but who can discuss the symbolism in 'Finnegans Wake' without their eyes glazing over. The ones who don't just 'like to travel', but who have a Pinterest board dedicated to the architecture of Brutalist buildings.

I mean, I'm not asking for much. I just want someone who understands that my idea of a perfect Saturday night is not dancing until dawn, but spending hours in a record store, finding that one rare vinyl I've been looking for. Someone who gets excited about finding a first edition book in a thrift store. Someone who can geek out with me about the latest Marvel movie, or discuss the existential crisis that is 'Black Mirror'.

But how do you find your tribe in a sea of 'loves a good laugh'?

I've tried the obvious - changing my bio to something more 'me'. I've tried the 'I collect vintage typewriters and can speak Elvish' approach, but all I got was a bunch of messages from people asking if I could type their letters for them, or translate 'The Lord of the Rings' for them. Not quite what I was looking for.

you're just a freak, like ME by YoshiKuroi on DeviantArt

I've also tried the 'let's be honest' approach. You know, the one where you list all your weird quirks and see who bites. But all that got me was a bunch of people telling me I was 'too much' and that they preferred someone 'normal'. Newsflash: I'm not 'normal', and I'm not looking for 'normal'. I'm looking for weird.

So, I've decided to take a different approach. I'm going to start a blog. A blog about all the things that make me, me. About my love for vintage typewriters, about my Elvish language skills, about my obsession with Brutalist architecture. About all the things that make me a freak. And maybe, just maybe, I'll find someone who's a freak just like me.

Because let's face it, we're all a little bit freak. Some of us just own it more than others. And if you're out there, reading this, and you're thinking, 'Hey, that's me! I'm a freak too!', then let's chat. Because I could use a good laugh. And maybe, just maybe, you'll understand why I love a good laugh that's not on a dating app bio.