@Harvey hit the nail on the head for me when he said:
normal, every-day, law-abiding gun-owners are exceedingly boring. No one wants to hear about “I carried all day and nothing happened”.
Which goes right along with: An armed society is a polite society.
There are many people in my life who know I carry - it’s a hazard of my job. Then there are those who have no idea I carry and they think I’m kinda boring. I don’t drink every time I go out, I don’t like going out to the movies or large crowded areas, and I avoid political conversations.
Do people who don’t know you carry think you’re boring?
Yes
No
Heck, no, I’m the life of the party no matter what!
0voters
What ways have you become more “boring/greyman” since you started carrying?
I answered NO because I am one of those guys at work who, when no one else knows the answer, they come to for a solution.
I am never the smartest man in the room at work (we design build and write the software for cancer radiation treatment machines) but I might have the most general knowledge (common sense) on how things work and how (and when) to fix things.
I don’t do anything to draw attention to myself. Usually stay pretty quite, keep my conversations neutral and as non offensive as possible. In my house tho I have a typical military sense of humor and enjoy have some laughs at today’s political and sensitive issues
My dad also served. I grew up around it then in it. A lot of civilians that have no experience around it usually become either very concerned or offended. Lol
I come from a military family as well, Dad retired in 76 after a 26 year career with deployment to Korea in 1950 and two tours in Vietnam. He used to cuss a blue streak but has mellowed with age. Every living male member of my family has served, 4 generations of us and one thing that is common no matter the era served in is the foul language. You can hardly carry on a conversation in the military without cursing, no one will take you seriously . I have been out of the military since 93 but, I work at the VA and when I speak with other Veterans, the foul language comes right back. Same thing at the range. It’s like it is ingrained in you.
I’ve spent most of my adult life in the grey mist. I grew up in the Navy on Submarines back in the 80’s.
Conversations about the boat were…
Them (T): Where’d you go?
Me(M): Out
T: What did you do?
M: Nothing.
T: How long were you gone?
M: A while.
T: Did you do anything interesting?
M: Nah.
After submarines I became a corpsman and worked with the Marines and Naval Special Warfare so the conversational smoke screen continued. My wife tells me I can shut down a conversation in 5 questions or less if I am in Boat mode and turn a conversation to something completely different in 2 questions if I’m in Frog mode. It’s not that I don’t like talking with other people I just will not talk about work. Unfortunately most of us while at work talk about time off and while not at work we talk about work.
To add to my issues I have “profound” high frequency hearing loss so conversations in a noisy room even with my hearing aids are impossible so I don’t bother going to loud places or places with a lot of people talking. That and I am a bit skittish in crowds.
Yup, I’m pretty boring.I go to work in the morning, come home in the evening, wrench on my hot rod, carve on my latest gun project, read books, do home projects and honey do’s. I’m good with that.
I am a typical introvert - not very outgoing, unless it’s a small group and I know them all well. It’s different in front of a classroom (you would be surprised how many teachers are introverts), but I tend to blend into the background.
My wife, on the other hand, is the life of the party.
I feel the Gray Man life is the way to go. Somewhere in the Bible it says to …live quietly, work hard, and mind your own business. No gun shirts, yard signs or 2A flags for me. Just the knowledge that if forced I can defend myself.
My motto is “Why Be Boring?” … and as a World-class Bellydancer / Self-taught Consulting Engineer / Health Coach / Author / Herbalist / Firearms Instructor / Great Grandmother and Rancher who spent a summer as an Outward Bound Counselor and once quit her Engineering job to teach Ballroom Dance full time… well, I think I’m all over that not-boring thing
I’m not private about carrying and firearms because I’m an instructor… but I will say that sometimes people from other parts of my life are surprised to find out I have a thing for firearms and the second amendment.
I’ve always been a low-key, chill type guy. I think it’s my country upbringing. I was also raised by my grandparents. They were ‘old school’ to say the least & far more restrictive than the parents of my high school friends (for example). My granddad taught us to work hard, mind your business, & take care of family. He taught us to defend ourselves (and each other) but to not instigate anything with anyone. So, with that background, of course I’m gonna be considered boring. I had a few women tell me that back in my single/ dating days . I simply responded “if you want excitement, go skydiving.” There is NOTHING WRONG with seeking a quiet, peaceful life.
God PLEASE don’t make our age the new 20, I almost didn’t survive the first time and I doggone sure don’t want to do it again. That said 30 was pretty good.
100,000,000 gun owners didn’t make the news today by acting stupid with a weapon. I want to be like them. Afterall, what’s the point of carrying concealed if you act like you’re carrying? Acting like you carry makes you the target in the room and eliminates any element of surprise and of practical defense.
@Dawn, I’ve got a 22 year old that does that almost everyday, On any given day I have 3 - 5 “New School Hot Rod’s” surrounding my house and in my driveway in some stage of dis or re-assembly. My 25 year old has a hard time figuring out which end of a wrench to use on a screw
. I have been out of the military since 93 but, I work at the VA and when I speak with other Veterans, the foul language comes right back. Same thing at the range. It’s like it is ingrained in you.
