I'm Tellin' Y'all

Quick note: I wrote this back in November and forgot to publish it. Or maybe I did remember to publish it, but didn't like it, so I unpublished it? Whatever the reason, I reread it today and realized that I DO like it. So I'm publishing it.

One other quick note: It's a little 'emo rant'-ish.

You guys know that quote about inadequacy? About how like we're scared of our potential or something? This one?

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

It's part of a much longer quote which you can find here. And here. Annnd here.

I've been thinking about that lately. Not because I need inspiration, but because I was trying to think of all the corny inspirational quotes I could. A cynical friend on Facebook posted a status about de-friending anyone who posts those inspirational quotes. Someone replied with "Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened."

A girl once told me, earnestly, that "love IS a battlefield." After we heard that Pat Benatar song at an ice cream shop.

I gave her an incredulous look. I can't verify the veracity of the metaphor, but I've always hated that song and thought it ridiculously cheesy. Even for an 80s song. And that's the decade that gave us Over The Top, that Sylvester Stallone movie where he has to compete in an arm-wrestling tournament to win his son's love.

You are your own worst enemy.

That's a quote I agree with. Distractions, distractions, distractions. Continuously sabotaging myself. Messing with my fantasy football team means I'm putting off work. Eating a chocolate croissant means I'm putting off that six-pack. Blogging means I'm putting off work too, but in a weird sort of way, it always feels semi-productive.

Although the actual "own worst enemy" quote is longer and talks about lowering your expectations to be happy, I kinda like it as is. I AM my own worst enemy, just like how love is a battlefield. I'm my own worst enemy on the battlefield of love, y'all. Continuously sabotaging my chances with success.

I should be working right now. Or working out. But I'm thinking of trading Frank Gore for a better wide receiver.

I dunno, man. Maybe next year I just won't play fantasy football. It's addicting.

Serious sport is war minus the shooting.

That last one's by George Orwell. Dude wrote 1984. It's a good book. Y'all should read it.

A lot of people stress about that book becoming reality. Big Brother is watching us. The government is tracking our every move. That could be true, but you know which dystopian society is worse? The one in Brave New World. And I read a book recently talking about how that's actually more similar to our society than the one in 1984.

I'm wasting all my time with FaceBook and reddit and videogames and fantasy football and shit. I should be out reading a book by the lake, getting my education on. But nope.

And, as my own worst enemy, I know I should do something about it. I should put down the remote control and pick up a book.

One of these days, y'all.

Final quick note: I relayed that "love is a battlefield" story to a few classmates when working on a project last quarter. It ended up being the focal point of our campaign for eHarmony. Huh.