So, I was indulging one of my lamer whims and reading personal ads (seriously, I think it's fascinating how people present themselves, how they describe their ideal mate, and how you can tell how often they try to sell themselves into mated life by how overdone their ad is), and I found one who actually sounds like someone I could have conversation with:

"MA in American Cultural Studies" check

"I try to strike some sort of balance between interesting intellectual discourse and stupefying, maudlin entertainment." Has anyone heard my discourses on the larger sociological structures embedded in the video-ethnography that is Laguna Beach?

"my thesis was a post-structuralist reading of MTVs Total Request Live. if you have an elitist disdain for pop music, I will get on your nerves" Has anyone watched my last.fm account and wondered why I have a fascination with crap music? Has anyone heard me get all post-structuralist? In day-to-day conversation?

"You will laugh loudly, and often" Has anyone heard me ever?

Man. If I met this person in reality life it'd be awesome. But my realization that there might actually be someone out there like me who somehow feels like metaing so far over personal ads as to end up participating in it (because I did. once. it was an interesting and slightly bad experience) made me realize that, as much as you meta over things, I was, in fact, considering shopping. But I hate shopping for people. In principle and in act. SO MUCH. I mean, I like Laguna Beach (well, seasons 1 and 2, at least), it's guilty, whatever. But shopping for people is playing the expectations game which I DESPISE.

I immediately felt dirty and useless and hypocritical and like I was unwittingly going from participant observer to NATIVE. I refuse to be native.

Wouldn't it be fun to run into this person in reality? (and by fun, I mean probably really obnoxious.)