I Found the Answer!

In a moment of epiphany today, I may have found the answer.

As you have realized by now, the majority of my blog consist of my rantings about social faux pas and the lack of manners .

As I was sitting in a restaurant today (I won't say the name but it rhymes with FryHop!), I watched a child, old enough to know better, color with crayons on the booth. The parents, instead of removing the crayon out of her hands, were praising the drawing. They were looking around to see if other people had noticed how cute and perfect their daughter was.

Then it occurred to me. This little girl will grow up to think that everything she does is ok, that she can do no wrong. She will know that everything should revolve around her. This little girl will grow up to let the door slam in my face, butt in line, and park her big truck over two parking spaces. She will do it because the world revolves around her.

Of course I'm not saying that kids shouldn't be praised. They need to know that they are loved and that we're happy with their appropriate efforts, but they also need to be taught that they are part of society and that they have a responsibility to other members of it.

I think self esteem is one of the most overused words in child rearing. Self esteem that is based solely on words from parents is a very shallow trait that will easily be destroyed in the real world. Self esteem that is rooted in the child's own efforts and accomplishments can sustain them throughout life.

If you tell little Joey that he is the world's best soccer player, when you know he isn't, it will only undermine your credibility when he realizes it. Wouldn't it be better to find something truthful like, "Wow you really tried hard and I could see you've improved since last time!"

The parents at the restaurant will probably never do that and someday when the little girl grows up, she will be the only one standing at a concert (blocking everyone's view) because It's her favorite song!

How many spoiled brats does it take to screw in a light bulb? One. They hold the bulb and the world revolves around them.

Viva la Difference

I really enjoy diversity in all areas of my life!

When I was a little boy, we only had a black and white TV. Then, when I was about twelve, my parents introduced us to color. Wow! What a difference. Suddenly, all the trees weren't gray and matched what I saw in the real world.

I enjoy that not everyone is the same, I love that some people enjoy sports and some hate them. I love that some folks like dogs for pets and some like lizards. I think it's great that some people are conservative politically and some are disillusioned. I think it is incredible that along side the geniuses in the world who teach us about facts, there are mentally handicapped folks that teach us about ourselves.

I think it is wonderful that when I look down my street, I see Japanese, Hispanic, Vietnamese, Pakistani, Caucasian, Mormon, Catholic, Muslim and ?. I think life would be extremely boring if we all dressed, thought, and spoke alike and drove the same color of car. I even like the fact that some people drive big pick up trucks (although I still don't know why!).

My acceptance of diversity has made it simple to accept an amazing young boy into my home and heart, even though our ethnicity is not the same.

Diversity in thought, opinion, and appearance gives my mortality an interesting color. You may not feel this way, and that different opinion makes us diverse as well.

I appreciate the spectrum with which diversity paints my life.

Coming Out of the Closet

For many years, I've held a secret. It's a secret that I've only told a few people, people very close to me. I've not been open about it before, for fear of retribution to me or my family. What I am about to confess will not be popular, but I must be true to myself.

I hate big pick-up trucks! There I said it, it's in the open! Judge me if you must.

Now I'm not talking about the occasional standard F-150 and maybe even an F-250, but I'm talking about the truck so big, that there can't be a logical, practical use for it. A truck whose front and back bumper are potentially in two different zip codes!

I'm talking about the type of truck that takes up two stalls at the front of the parking lot. The kind of truck that pulls up beside you at an intersection and completely blocks your view and your only hope is to see UNDER it.

I know that someone might need this size of truck....No, I take it back, I can't think of a person who would need this size of truck.

I know I am generalizing, but watch the type of drivers that have these trucks. They generally are short little guys with a mullet who in another time in their life would be driving a Trans-Am. They've usually got their bleached blond Tanya Harding wannabe scrunched up next to them on their bench seat.

Once I pursued having a bumper sticker made for my car that said, "The bigger the truck, the smaller the penis!" I quickly came to my senses, knowing if I did this, one day I would return to find my car crushed with one big tire print all the way along the crumpled piece of metal that used to be my Yugo.

There! I came out! It feels good to come clean about my feelings. I no longer need to pretend I am someone I'm not, but now I need to fear for the retribution. Oh well. History is made of brave people taking a stand, now I can be included in that distinguished list.