Normalcy

It’s around 1:00 pm, and I’m on the road with my family right now. We are driving to Natchitoches, LA (Google it) for my grandparent’s 50^th anniversary dinner. I think almost everyone on my mom’s side of the family is supposed to be there. If you’ve been following my blog for a while, you might remember that I evacuated to my grandparent’s house for Hurricane Gustav. Now, I haven’t seen the rest of my family in a long time. It’s going to be nice to see them and meet my cousin’s new baby. But in all honesty, I don’t want to go. I know that sounds horrible. I don’t know why, but in my life, my friends rank above my family. Geez, I’m horrible…. but w/e. Back on track. Instead of seeing family I love but don’t see very much, I could be working on my 10-page paper, sleeping, homework, or most importantly hanging out my friends (like Burt & Erika, who came in for the weekend to be with friends, but not many people are in town. They have great timing.).  My point. I don’t want to spend the weekend with my family, which I’m sure most teenagers would feel the same way. Normal. Right?

Maybe it’s because I watched too much TV and too many movies, but since I was little, I wanted to have a “normal” life. I wanted to walk to school. I wanted to be good at sports. I wanted to be “popular” (oh, middle & high school…). I wanted the girl that I liked to like me. I wanted a real neighborhood (not a cul-de-sac) with lots of kids my age to play with. I wanted to live in a house we would always go through the front door, and the back door led to the back yard. And then when I grew up, I wanted to get married and have a couple of kids, and give them the normal life I would’ve had.

Now, I’m not saying that I didn’t like my life. I loved it. I had friends on my street and at school. I mean I wasn’t a complete loser. I just liked theatre. I went to great schools, and I’m fairly smart because of them. My house was beautiful. I had my own room (still do). I wouldn’t be who I am or where I am if it weren’t for the life I was give or for the experiences I have had. As for the future, I still want to find someone, get married, and have kids. Unfortunately, the future is unknown to everyone, so I think it is best to just go with the flow.

Well, I was thinking yesterday. I am not “normal.” Like, at all. I love musical theatre. Pick a random person off the street, and I can almost guarantee that they know almost nothing compared to what I know about Broadway and musical theatre. I don’t know much about other types of music. I don’t socialize well with people who aren’t somewhat associated with some type of music, dance, or theater. Some might think this weird or bad, but I totally love it. It’s who I am. Why would I want to change? I said this in the last paragraph, but I just want to say it again. I wouldn’t be who I am or where I am if it weren’t for the life I was give or for the experiences I have had. I have no regrets. I may not be “normal,” and I can almost guarantee that I will not be “normal” in the future. But you know what? I don’t want to change. I like where I am. I like who I am.

I’m going to end with this: What is “normal?” What makes someone or something normal? Why do I (and probably some other people) want to be normal? What’s the fun in being average and normal when you can be different and stand out in the world?

Here: my random video for the blog: