Ok, so I stole the title from an excellent article on RSDnation, but it's something that's resonated with me at this present moment in time (the full article can be found here
Personality: Get One. Chode. | RSD Nation
Funnily enough, it's written by a chap called Alex...).

Let me explain by taking you through an average day with me, at home, in sunny Lincolnshire. I get up, have breakfast, walk the dog and have a shower. Then I hit the job search. For about 8 hours. During the course of this search I get about a million rejection emails, and occasionally shouted at/offered useless advice by my dad about not having a job. Every other Thursday, I go to sign on, and a few times a week I play golf with my golfing buddy, or go out for a couple of brewskis with some friends. However, as is the way of a newly graduated student, I have fuck all money and, stranded in a shitty market town, thus have fuck all to do (except look for a fucking job).

So what, you may ask, is the point of this afternoon's missive (other than me whingeing about life)? It's this - as someone who has no money and lives in a shit town, even I manage to have a life. I play golf, I see my mates, I have bonfires and drink Biere Deluxe (from ASDA - give it a try, it's awesome), I brush up my piano and guitaring skills and, as of next week, am participating in a volunteer scheme. In other words, if I can have a mildly varied personality in this situation, you guys in the big cities with your disposable income sure as hell can too, and it frustrates me to see people down-and-out about their lives when they have the means to change it by simply dropping the stubbornness, growing a pair and getting a life.

I can't even tell you how much fun I'm going to have when I'm earning and living somewhere cool. I'm going to take French and Spanish classes, a cookery class, learn the drums, start/join an improv society, get on board with the whole healthy eating thing and go to the gym occasionally. I'm not saying this shit would be for everyone, but do whatever YOU want to do. Take up snowboarding? DO IT. Do a spontaneous road trip to Cornwall for some surfing? DO IT. Go out with your mates and smash tequila suicides? DO IT. Do things you feel like doing simply to enjoy yourself. Balls to whether girls will approve, you're not doing it for their benefit, you're doing it for yours. The rewards are self-perpetuating - the more you do things to amuse yourself, the more you will amuse yourself.

As the article says, it is these things that determine your personality. Not the core, stuff like values, confidence and so on, but the flowery, interesting stuff. The bright flower that's going to draw people to you. You can have all the core values in the world, but it's these little details that make the difference and help you get the most out of your life. Don't believe me? Check out the Derren Brown video I posted on another thread. See how the guy starts to do whatever he likes, on a whim, to amuse himself?

QED. Now go get a fucking life.

What is a chode? I assume it is a derogatory term, but it's not in my vocabulary yet.

... and yeah, I concur, Get a life, increase your social circle, do cools things for fun and most importantly ENJOY LIFE. There's not much of it left!

When I was a kid, the 6-week summer holiday seemed endless. But as you get older, time goes by quicker and quicker...

Because we experience time in this non-linear fashion, by the time youare 25-30, you are at least half way through your life (even if you live to be 100).

Make the most of it, do those things you always wanted to, because very soon, it will be too late an you'll be a boring old fart drinking 2 pints of stout by yourslef in the local every night of the week instead of that guy who's a "legend and everyone knows it".

Chode is a derogatory term for people who don't get it, they are the guys never approaching or thinking their one true soul mate will one just appear...etc etc.

Anyone remember the term for an old chode from the blueprint?

"Choder"! That did make me laugh at the time! :-D

Scientific explanation...