Huey Lewis Was Right

It’s become hip to be square. I was nerdy, when nerdy wasn’t cool. In kindergarten I was so disruptive I was almost kicked out until they realized I just finished my work way faster than everyone else. I had a mighty smart teacher because she used me to help out other kids in the class who weren’t getting stuff as quickly as I did. Then came the realization that I may be some kind of child genius, and the testing began. I didn’t even realize what was going on ‘til I was about 8, and they had me take the SAT test. My mom to this day talks about how I started reading when I was 2, and I just laugh and say, “Yeah, so what does that show you?” I am not one to toot my own horn. This post is to let people know that you can have an IQ the likes of Einstein, and it really doesn’t mean ANYTHING. If by some chance your child should be like I was, don’t use them as a bragging right. Just be supportive and love them and let them make mistakes like every other kid.

My childhood wasn’t like that. If I got an A it was expected. If I got a C I was ridiculed. I did not like the sciences, although I am now a total sci-fi fanatic. Go figure. So I did what kids sometimes do. I rebelled. I would show them. I started putting in zero effort and getting a B average. I skated through without really challenging myself at all. The only thing I had passion for was playing soccer, and my high school coach did a great job of ruining that for me. But none of this is to say I blame anyone. I could have been stronger and overcome, but I didn’t. I went through a lot as a kid, but none of it kept me from accomplishing whatever it is I wanted to accomplish. Those road blocks came directly from the wonder child herself. I had an emotionally unavailable mother, a drug addict sister, and a child molester brother. Life was no picnic even though on the outside we were totally keeping up with the Joneses. I won’t get in to detail except to say I now realize that my mother really did the best she could with the coping skills she failed to have. The only support she could give was monetary, and for a long time I resented her for that, but now I realize she loves me and is the only mom she knows how to be, and that’s okay.

I got my child development degree and started working with kids. It was something I was good at. I dare to say it was something I was great at. I could see those kids who everyone else thought were the “trouble” children and see myself, and that made me drawn to them. I made a difference. So much so that there are kids I worked with who were 3, who still talk about me to their folks. Just typing that out lets me know none of that time was wasted. I recently had a reunion with a little girl named Julia. Not so little anymore and a gorgeous 13 year old, she met me at the Crocker art museum holding a camera. 10 years later she was totally happy to see me. And the half day spent with her the thing I got out of the visit the most was when her mom turned to me and said, “Her love of art is all you. That most certainly didn’t come from us.” I have tears in my eyes right now just typing that. I had done something good. I had done it while drinking to black out status four nights a week. I was not a horrible person.

I love all things nerd related. Except Lord of the Rings. I have Star Wars light saber chopsticks at home, a Star Trek book signed by George Takei, and many other nerdly things I adore. I turned pain and fear in to appreciation for all things brainy and amusing, while still marveling in fart and poop jokes. No matter how lost I would feel at times, there would always be an episode of Smallville to pull me out of my funk. I honestly credit sci-fi, John Hughes, and Billy Madison for getting me through the tough times in life. So thanks Spock, I owe you twenty.

See how this post kind of started out about one thing and totally went off on a tangent? That will happen often. It's how my brain works and instead of fighting that, I'm totally going to go with it.

Here is my awesome Spock O Lantern I had at my house this year.

Thanks to my gal pal Lauren for carving this for me. Lord knows I do not have the patience to do anything like this.