 "Dumbing yourself down" around your peers?
ChrisXYZ: My first thought upon reading your problem was, "I have friends who are smart and fun.  Why doesn't he get some of those?"It almost sounds like you have two very black and white social circles: dry, boring 'smart' friends, and shallow, ignorant 'fun' friends.  Maybe you are too picky and elitist, I can't say, but I've also hung around genuinely empty-headed party types, and it is a little soul destroying.  I feel your pain.Any way you could find something more in the middle?I know tons of people who know how to have a good time, but also have a geeky side, if you want to call it that.  They're mostly grad students in social sciences / humanities-type subjects.  I almost take it for granted most of the people I meet are going to be fairly bright.