>I don't actually feel very good at anything. This is
>sometimes dictated by how others treat me, but often not.
>Its mostly the product of self-reflection independent
>of what the world thinks.

I mean, it makes sense. The internal process of trying to do a job well or just to be good isn't really that pretty on a daily basis. People who aren't their own worst critic are kind of suspicious.

>Fantastic. Like a second home to me. I have a friend who
>owns a great restaurant there, you and your wife would
>probably dig it. Let me know when you go.

I will do that. Thank you.

>Actually, quite good. My roommate is weird but not strange.
>(as you can imagine, I've thought quite a bit about the
>difference)

I have a guess, but it's not a good one without specificity.

>I like my neighborhood. I've concluded that Boston is
>definitely
>not a good city for black men under 25, which is where it
>gets
>a bad name from my demographic. For grownups of all hues, its
>nice because it does calm things very well. It does bars
>well.
>It does bar food VERY well. It does live music well. It does
>coffee very well. I don't have the energy or patience to do
>anything but the above for leisure and so its a perfect fit.

I rather like this distinction, and I really like the age-25 marker. It makes me like my gradually narrowing social life is now 8 years normal. You've made my evening with this.

>Work has been slow to get off the ground but I see progress
>ahead (as in, I see how much harder I have to work to make
>the progress, not so much that I just see the
>progress....which
>is infinitely better than not knowing what to do to even be
>marginally incompetent)

Everybody I know who's ever expressed this has always been profoundly good at their job. It's the new-ish job problem.