Am I really an enigma or a conundrum?

Dictionary.com defines an enigma as: a person of puzzling or contradictory character.
And conundrum as: anything that puzzles.

I've been called both of these in the past. While I understand that I fit into few boxes, I find it interesting that so many of us still try to put people into a nice, neat, descriptive box. I say us because I am also sometimes guilty of making broad assumptions based on little information about a person.

I can sort of understand why many of my religiously conservative friends would assume that I hold their same political views, but find it interesting that my none of my politically liberal friends expect me to have any particular religious views and aren't at all surprised that I am a Bible-believing, born-again Christian.

I appreciate those that are able to simply shake their heads and say that I am an enigma or that they find my beliefs puzzling and do not judge me but talk to me about how I can agree with them on many issues and disagree on others that they feel are tied together. For those that are willing to talk to me (rather than just disagree with me) I think that I have been able to share what I believe and how I think in a way that they can understand me a little bit better.

However, the comments that birthed the idea behind this post were not rooted in political ideologies nor religious philosophies. It was simply people that were surprised at certain "likes" that didn't fit their idea of John. It actually makes me smile sometimes.

For example: one person (not the first) seemed shocked that I was a UFC fan and am looking forward to going to the Hometown Throw-down in Milwaukee with my son. Chris says that it's a redneck sport like NASCAR. I think that's an insult to both (but figure that she probably meant it that way!).

Another "I never knew that about you" thing that I get has to do with my love for peanut butter. I'll put peanut butter on just about anything. I have to admit that my latest greatest peanut butter combination wasn't my idea. I like to think that I was the inspiration behind the idea, though. A co-worker brought me a sample of his creation, knowing that I was going to love it. He was right. And everybody that has been brave enough to try it has liked or loved it!

On our recent missions trip, I was with the ladies that went to the store for food and grabbed a handful of jalapeno peppers. Back at our base, I cut a couple in half, cleaned out the seeds and filled them with peanut butter. Soon I was preparing the rest of them and the few peppers were gone in no time! A day later, one of the women presented me with another small bag of peppers. When I brought them into the lunch room, it was one of the guys that really liked the peanut butter peppers that took the knife and went to work preparing the whole bunch of them. I think I had one!

If you haven't been following Out of My Hat since the beginning and haven't read some of the posts that give more information into my puzzling character, you can check out these past posts:
Who Am I, Who Am I (again), Facebook and Random Things, and finally Ten Honest Things About John.
And of course, if you want to know me, just peruse any of my past ramblings. I am the guy the writes this stuff. They come out of the character of John.

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