I was talking with someone the other day and they flippantly said.... "oh, I don't care about famous people, they don't impress me."
Now, let me be *clear* - we were talking about like actors or musicians and what not.... and - I can see their point, but at the same time... that kind of thing really pisses me off. And really... if Davef*ckingGrohl sat down on a park bench next to you - you wouldn't be p*ssing your pants?
Really? C'mon... you *know* you would.
Why do we give "famous" people such a hard time and act like they HAVE to be treated differently - I mean - do we ever walk around and say.... "Oh, I don't care about really friendly people who do well in their lives... they don't impress me."
Yeah, I didn't think so.
Now. *I* am not famous. I think, perhaps, I'm... 'infamous'.... and perhaps not in the best way and not for the best thing... but alas: there are very few people who I meet who don't know about the sign or didn't see the sign... hence: some level of so-called 'fame'.
I did *nothing* to attain it. It doesn't pay me squat. It doesn't affect my daily life. In fact, it has no *real* affect on me or my life at all... other than that fact that I have ZERO f*cking privacy. lol That has made 'dating' very difficult..... if someone finds out my full name *before* they've had a chance to really get to know me - then they can google me and fill in their own blanks. Which is a little unfair - but that's the way it is.
Oh... and again - any future in-laws have a Book and an entire Blog to read and they'll know almost everything there is to know about me.... sigh. oh well.
Did I *ask* for this.... hell no. But... it is what it is.
So then *after* my conversation with this person I thought... feck - will this kind of sweeping "I don't care about you because you're "famous" apply to me as well? Like - is there a barometer of fame? So like the slightly famous don't get written off as quickly as the 'uber' famous?
Like..... I'm Wal-Mart to Kim Kardashians Nordstroms? Or may be I'm the 7-11 to her Nordstroms.... but you get the idea. So, so the blue collars of fame get more love than the rich, white collar kind?
I mean... I'm just curious.
I can't tell you *how* many famous people I have dined with... sat next to - and I no freakin' clue who they were... why the hell would I? I don't card people and ask them for their resume upon meeting them. I like people - I like meeting people. I like talking to people - all people.... and if you aren't afraid to walk up and say hello to someone - and they later turn out to be 'famous' - who the hell cares?
I hate to break it to the planet... but so-called 'famous' people sh*t, shower and shave just like the rest of us. They are normal people living their lives and they have friends... famous friends and un-famous ones alike. Sometimes people want to be famous - like... said Kardashians.
Some people are really talented and become noticed and famous for those talents... should those people not be celebrated for working so hard and honing their craft? I think *all* people are who successful are pretty inspiring whether they are famous or not.
I really *can't* stress enough how... 'un-famous' I know I am... but still.... this whole conversation got under my skin a little.... clearly.
I mean - for instance... when I was a working photojournalist - who the hell else was I *supposed* to make friends with? You spend day in and day out on tour or working with artists.... so... eventually you make friends with some of them. It didn't change my day-to-day life. It didn't make me any richer or more important... nor did I think it made me 'self-important'. They were people.... just people who made (usually) really cool music (which I usually liked) and that's kind of rad.
Of course... I really respected *everyone* equally. I would get *just* as excited about seeing Joe and Doug and Trey (roadie/tour manager/merchandise manager) of a certain band - it was *great* to see these guys time after time, and I'd spend just as much time with *them* as I would the artist/band.
I find that anytime you're willing to sit down and talk with someone - *anyone* - you'll find some common ground, you'll learn something interesting and you'll find something you like about them... and BAM: you just make a friend. Done. Easy. Simple.
Why should I care if that 'someone' is 'famous' according to some social standard?
Oh... yeah - I don't. BUT - that 'don't' - doesn't keep me from bothering to get to know them.
I guess what *I'm* saying is that I find alllll people impressive. Life is f*cking hard and anyone else slogging this road right along with me is someone I'm bound to enjoy getting to know... Period.
sigh.
I think I'm just b*tchy tonight. lol
On that note..... well - the dating note (which is lost in the above somewhere) - can I just say how *hard* it is to start over at 37.... and *not* only that - but start with over with this GIANT thing in your past (like making a sign, making international news and winding up on The View.....? oh yeah... *that*) man..... it's like - don't *ask* me a hundred questions about what happened, and the sign and the media and then *tell* me that I'm clearly not over El Capitan because I spent too much time talking about "him".
sigh.
I wasn't f*cker... I was answering your questions... your dozens of questions... lolol - so that's a lot of answers and a lot of talking.... I would have been just as happy discussing macroeconomics or the alignment of the planets.... seriously. *YOU* asked... I answered. Don't go assigning *your* personal baggage to me. I met someone who nodded with everything I said... gave me those sympathetic eyes that said, "I've been there... I feel your pain...." - so I'm like - cool... this is going well?
Nope.
They turn right around and say.... "I have some great book to help you heal from this - I used them during my divorce five years ago.... don't worry - you'll get there eventually."
Um.... dude. I drove there, through many, many storms, crashed and burned more than once... but we got *here* - see that's my disheveled old car parked waaaaaaay over there and if you look in the trunk you'll find the baggage I left in there, too. See, I parked that sh*t and now it's just me on my own two feet: walking away, head held high... and proud.
I'm fine. Really.
And I'm not judging... but five years later the *only* conversation I better be having about El Capitan will be parenting related.... good grief. If I've debated whether or not El Capitan was worth *ten years* of my life *with* him.... I can sure as sh*t assure you that he is *not* worth *five years* of my life once he's gone... that's just crazy talk.
Cray. Cray.
Oh... and *more* thing on my b*tchy radar tonight.... El Capitan wants to join a basketball league which happens to be on the day/evening he has the kids and he asked if he could potentially move his day with them.... I said sure - what do I care?
Holy hell.... have I caught crap for that.
Yes... people have a point - I miss out on plenty having the kids 95% of the time - and yes.... I don't get to join a basketball league... (ok, seriously - can you just imagine that? lololol) - but... why the hell do I care what day he comes to see the kids? Sure, I'm used to that one day - and it's easy and convenient and I kind of have a bit of a weekly ritual... but - is it *really* that big of a deal to move days?
No. So why the f*ck make it one? Isn't *that* drama? Isn't *that* trying to hold onto things with him by continuing to cause problems and be a hassle to deal with......? Whatever... move your day - I don't care. It makes no odds to me so long as he see's the kids... *that* is what matters the most to them - so *that* is what matters the most to me. Simple. Easy. Done.
So there you have it... my One Thing - for someone in my life who might not 'deserve it'. I did my first One Thing for El Capitan... and not because I'm damaged and bitter and scorned - but because I'M NOT. lolol
Of course... I was none to thrilled to hear The Boy telling The Papa tonight that he asked El Capitan if he had a girlfriend and he told The Boy that he did NOT. sigh.
Before The Papa could reply The Boy said, "Yeah.... I don't know why he has to lie because I've seen her and I know her name and I know he has a girlfriend because he said so a long time ago.... I think sometimes when you tell lots and lots of lies you can't remember them all."
This was followed by a big pause and then The Papa said, "Yup... pretty much."
To which The Boy said, "Yeah, that's why I don't tell lies. If I hit sister, I just to go tell Mom right away... I don't like about it. Lying is a bad decision."
So... booyah. This is me. Whole, standing on my own two feet with a kid who knows right from wrong in the face of one parents dishonesty.... and *why* is that? Because I've stuck to my damn guns, done things *my* way and the three of us have (thus far) come out the other side of it *better* for it all.... fame or no fame... we're better
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