I have a growing curiosity to try new things, and that curiosity is a major drive in my life. There is something about monotony, stability, and doing things the established way that just isn’t for me. Certainly, my bike ride is out of the norm and has allowed me to try new things and see new places, but it is more than just big lifestyle choices. Almost everything I encounter I am interested in trying at least once, big and small, as long as it doesn’t violate my ethics.
Everything seems to fall into two broad categories; experiences and knowledge (with some overlap). Some of the experiences are pretty mild, like bungee jumping or acting in a play. Some are more risqué (though maybe they shouldn’t be) like streaking or trying DMT. Others are more hardcore like experiencing more dangerous drugs or trying new things sexually. I think my openness to new sexual things isn’t an erotic desire (usually), instead it is a fascination with wanting to try anything at least once. It seems a shame to miss out on a new opportunity if it won’t harm anyone else. Maybe I’ll like it, maybe I won’t, but I’d rather try something and find out instead of wondering my whole life. The threesome I had recently was certainly an eye-opening experience in this regard.
New knowledge is more difficult to acquire for me. As much as I want to learn a new language, play an instrument, learn how to shoot a bow, become multi-orgasmic, learn coding, became a masseuse, learn chess, get a pornosexual body, etc (I literally have a Word document called “Things To Learn” on my computer with a running list of about 100 things) it is tough for me to commit. I make excuses that the bike ride prevents it but that really isn’t the case, mostly I’m just lazy and lack discipline. Just like writing a book about my first bike ride, I want the end result without all the work. It holds me back, but I am really trying to work on this and unschool myself.
In the end, I guess I am just one of those people that are up for anything, even some dangerous or painful things (like my genital piercing) or weird things (like when I was dared in the Army to eat a giant live beetle in Afghanistan). If someone asks me to try something new I am usually up for it, and if there is something new I want to try I’ll usually ask anyone involved, especially if I’m rolling and not as introverted. As a transhumanist it is kind of weird for me to take risks, it seems like it would be in my best interest to live a safe life now and ride things out until we get to the point where we cure death, but oh well, I am a bundle of contradictions. At least I’m having fun.
Wandering Oak 