Thanks to Merriam-Webster, I know that the word “outlier” has several meanings, but none really fit me, just like almost every pair of pants I’ve ever owned. Let’s examine these pant-like definitions a little closer:
A person whose residence and place of business are at a distance.
I live quite close to the center of Madrid, and before that Washington, DC, which is pretty much all center all the time. (I miss you so, DC!). My place of business is basically wherever I am, since I am an ESL teacher who teaches “in-company” as we call it in the biz (wow, can’t believe I said that – who even am I?). Sure, I grew up in the forest, far away from the center of anything, so, perhaps in this sense, I was an outlier, but, truthfully, I was still pretty average, even for a wild forest child.
Something (such as a geologic feature) that is situated away from or classed differently from a main or related body.
I am not a rock. That should be pretty obvious, right? I do really like rocks and have many. In fact, the main reason I snatched up my partner is that he’s the only person I’ve ever met who hasn’t complained about moving my rocks. (Thank you, my love!)
A statistical observation that is markedly different in value from the others of the sample.
There are some people who may argue that everything I am is math, but those people are mathematicians, and I don’t understand them or the goods they peddle. Regardless, I’m certain that all mathematical observations about me from my VO2Max to blood pressure are remarkably within the expected range for my age and general lifestyle.
A person or thing that is atypical within a particular group, class, or category.
Ahh, finally, this is the one most people are familiar with, as it has become popularized by Malcom Gladwell. These are the uber special people that we read about all the time – those amazing people with just the right combination of genetics, work ethic, and brain chemicals. We all love reading about their feats and following them on Instagram. Not only do they have lofty goals, but they have the passion, enthusiasm, willpower, and (I suspect, more often than not) support to reach those goals.
I am not one of these people. This is totally okay. Sure, I have goals (sometimes) and I do usually reach them (weather permitting). On the surface, some of my activities may seem a bit exotic for some, but they also seem somewhat mundane to others because I am literally right there, in the middle – an inlier.
This is what I want to share – the interesting and less interesting achievements of a total inlier. Welcome to my regular world!
