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FEAR No. 066 – Living In The Past
May 25, 2010 by NaysWay · 2 Comments
Two weeks ago, my grandmother turned 89. Given the survival rate of the elderly in our family, this is astounding. If you ask her, she might not agree with you.
My grandmother lived a social life. If she wasn’t involved in local politics, she headed the PTA. If she wasn’t doing that, she was running the treasury department of her church. If she wasn’t doing that, she was apart of someone’s organization somewhere. In her heyday, she ruled with an iron fist. Family members laugh that my grandfather, now deceased, was either really crazy, or really in love when he married her. If you’re Beyonce, that makes sense. But remember that part where I said my grandmother ruled with an iron fist? Children. Dogs. Friends. Co-workers. Fellow congregation. Spouse. No one was exempt from this fist. She was, and continues to be, a force to be reckoned with. God help those who’ve survived her aftermath.
FEAR No. 064 – Freak Flag
May 5, 2010 by NaysWay · Leave a Comment
People are different. It’s so cliché to say, but you’d be hard-pressed to find two people who are exactly alike. Growing up an only child, no siblings to glean from, being like someone else seemed pretty normal to me. In fact, being myself was boring. Who was going to like me if I was myself.
Years later, and being a freak is the in-thing. Who knew! If I’d have stuck to my guns and remained outwardly weird, instead of masquerading as everyone else, I’d harbor less inhibition that I do right now. Because, unfortunately, even after years of living as an adult, I still care what others think. Still cringe at being different. Still faint at being the outcast. Yet the thing about your true self is, no matter what you do, it’s always spilling through the cracks. No one is ever as good at hiding their true selves as they think they are.
Everything I Know In Life…
May 4, 2010 by NaysWay · 7 Comments
Anyone remember college? If not college, remember your first apartment? Remember going to a nearby store, not knowing the first thing about interior design, just knowing you were satisfied with a bed? Remember the posters you passed off as works of art? Every dorm room, frat house, or apartment I visited had the Everything I Know In Life posters. C’mon. You know what I’m talking about. Here’s an example…
Everything I Know In Life I Learned From Friends
- When moving a couch upstairs, pivot
- Everyone has an identical hand twin
- Everybody has a lobster
Now. If you’ve never seen an episode of Friends, you would have no idea of the inside jokes pointing back to previous episodes, but these are still good life-lessons, nonetheless. I, along with everyone I know, loved the show and I can look at each of those references – probably all of them from the poster – and laugh in agreement, not only because it’s sound advice, but because I know exactly what episode is being identified.
That probably makes me a sad person in some countries, but I like my television. What can I say.
(I’m not even posing that as a question.)
My kids love SpongeBob. When Mooter first introduced it to the house, I was a little less than eager to begin watching yet another children’s show. I had suffered through The Wiggles, and Bear In The Big Blue House, and Barney. I had had my fill of singing and dancing and costumes. But I’m a fan of animation, so SpongeBob got a pass. I didn’t know it at the time, but the writers of SpongeBob are brilliant because they incorporate humor everyone can get. Kids, adults. I often laugh at episodes and my kids turn to me and go, “huh?”, which makes me pat them on the head and say my favorite line: You’ll understand it when you’re older, dear.
Not because I’m mean, but because it was said to me. And I was dumb enough to go, “OK”.
There are so many episodes of SpongeBob, I was almost certain there had to be an Everything I Know In Life poster for it. Surprisingly, THERE ISN’T! Which begs the question…
If it hasn’t been done, is it that much sadder that I want to take a stab at it?
Everything I Know In Life I Learned From SpongeBob
- Being normal is dull
- Crying really does solve all your problems
- Be true to yourself, don’t miss your chance, and you won’t end up like the fool who ripped his pants
- Snails make the best pets
- You can never be too annoying
- Always have a song in your heart
- Life is better with a best friend to share it with
- Believe in yourself
- Always look at the bright side
- Make everyday your best day ever
I’m telling you. SpongeBob waxes philosophical.
FEAR No. 063 – Me
April 26, 2010 by NaysWay · 6 Comments
You see this face? This is my face. This broad almost literally took a mental snapshot of my face and plastered it on her own. See this look? This is the look of displeasure. The look that says “you are dumb.” She didn’t say it, but I know. Because it’s my face. Let me explain…
One of my favorite shows on TV right now is Parenthood. I loved the movie, but I didn’t think I was going to like a remake geared toward the smaller screen as much. After a few episodes, it really grew on me. I love how, every week, the conflicts between parents and their children are so classic, you can see your own family depicted in many different ways. I also love that varying issues are tackled with the younger generation of children based on their age groups. My favorite ages, so far, are the teenagers. Since my girls are a ways off from reaching this milestone (THANK. GOD.), I like to watch those scenes and wonder, if that were me, what would I do. I’m almost positive that at least one of my children is an angel and will continue to be, while the other is destined for someone’s detention center. I’ll let you guess how I’m doling out that arrangement. Let’s just say I’ll be pleasantly surprised if I’m wrong.
FEAR No. 062 – Breaking The Law
April 19, 2010 by NaysWay · 4 Comments
There I was completely wasting, out of work and down
All inside it’s so frustrating as I drift from town to town
Feel as though nobody cares if I live or die
So I might as well begin to put some action in my life
Breaking the law, breaking the law–Breaking the Law, Judas Priest
My last year in high school, a friend of mine recommended my name for an incredible opportunity to intern for my district congressman in Washington, D.C. The internship would last for one summer and was to take place just before I’d begin my first year in college at THEE Ohio State University. I’d traveled to D.C. to meet this same congressman some years prior for a Youth Leadership program. My grandmother deemed this one of the many highlights of her life considering how involved she was in local politics, and how she’d worked for this same congressman’s brother during his mayoral run in Cleveland. I deemed it an opportunity to be away from home. I’d taken vacations, but they’d always been under the run and rule of a family member. I’d be moving to Columbus that Fall, so being on my own was something I was going to need to get used to, and I was more than ready.
That summer, my residence was Georgetown University. I always say I’d have changed my collegiate choice had I interned there sooner but, as was the case then and now, out-of-state tuition charges will rob you blind, and I had no scholarship to speak of. My time spent there while interning would have to be as good as it got.
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