What misperceptions do people have about you?

I watch my share of NFL and college football, but if one of my kids comes in the room and wants to change it to Mickey Mouse or Yo Gabba Gabba, I usually turn it immediately.

 

That I care about sports in general.

That I'm a functional adult.

That I'm capable of handling money.

That I'm responsible.

That I'm a nice person sometimes.

 

Since I cover sports, people assume I love all sports. Personally, I can't wait for the NBA to be over and it technically hasn't started yet. You should see the reactions I get when I tell them I couldn't care less about baseball either. Sorry guys, other than football, most sports on the professional level bore me to tears.

The second one hits me really hard. I have a crippling anxiety disorder that over the past 20 years I've learned some tremendouse coping mechanisms for. Still, I really can't drive far from home or go someplace without driving. Only one of my closests friends accepts this.
I try to understand the ridicule, basically because my mom told me early on to keep moving and act like nothing is wrong when I'm feeling anxious or having an attack. Therefore it looks like nothing is wrong when I'm having and episode. Plus I know my limits. I think that's why it frustrates people so much. I act normal but inside I'm dying just try to keep it together.
I also talk a lot and get excited, it's just another way of coping and expelling nervous energy. My friends don't seem to understand that either.

 

A LOT of people from high school thought I was a lesbian because I was fucking choosy about who I wanted to go out with and some of the luster is off a person when you know how many people they've slept with.

Same here. I also laugh a lot when I'm really nervous. People thought I was losing my mind when I was giggling through one of the many funerals I've been to.

 

One misconception is that when some new third-rate sport adds a team or some semi-pro team pops up in town, they think we're excited to get something new to cover.

Uh, no.

Do accountants get excited when someone plops more files on their desk?

 

For some reason, people either really like me or hate me.

Those who hate me don't understand me. They don't understand that the barriers I've built up have been built over years of hurt.

People make judgments based on what others say or because of a stupid comment, which I'm prone to make.

Some think I'm arrogant because I'm confident but shy.

I got to the point where I just didn't give a damn anymore.

 

Only if they're getting paid more.

 

i'm a lawyer so people assume i'm rich. sure i make more than the average journalist but i live in a regular 3-bedroom house, drive a toyota and rarely use 100 dollar bills to lite my cohibas.

 

I find $50s work better.

 

That I have a permanent case of jaundice.




I'll be here all week, please tip your waitress.

 

I watched a 20/20 show about job interviews. The interviewer said this is his favorite question to ask job candidates because the misperceptions are generally true.
I'm just sayin'.

 

I don't think that's true here, because they generally tend to fall into two categories:

(1) People who knew you back when and are rigid in their impression of you.

(2) People who know what you do for a living. This is particularly true with what we do, because most people think of sports as a past time, not a job, so it is tough for them to think of it in any other way.