person01 wrote:
Does anyone else not have any specific special interests?
I have both very specific and very broad special interests. I can imagine it going either way, or even neither way, for different people.
An example of both, for me, would be:
1) polished cross-sectional cuts of wood, or anything with an interesting cross-section, but wood is my favorite. If I ever had the idle time to get into it, I'd definitely have myself a collection of samples, not just of different tree species but also of a variety of species and types of cuts. I might even experiment with different plants, soaking them in preservatives and sealing them in a clear lacquer before cutting them so I can get nice specimens from more fragile stuff.
2) combat/warfare dynamics, and any near parallel like trading or the various types of interpersonal relationships. Mostly direct combat/warfare stuff, though. I grew up playing games of one confrontational manner or another, was obsessed with learning how to fight (and not allowed because of over-protective parents), was really into MMA for awhile, and these days I just play or watch people play RTS or other games with a very dynamic and choice-rich combat environment. I spend inordinate amounts of time analyzing and theorizing.
At one point I wanted to learn about real war and game theory but I could never find any good info, then realized that of course governmental bodies and military forces will keep that stuff hidden away and it's best I don't try to dig too deeply just for a hobby T_T
I have a LOT of special interests, though. Between that and the mild ADHD, it's probably why I tend not to accumulate much in the way accomplishments. I'm just too used to jumping to another interest when too-big an obstacle gets in the way. Or maybe it's the other way around and I'm avoiding situations where I get so overwhelmed I lose control. Anyway...
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Thank you deeply for sharing your experiences. I don't feel so alone anymore.