The most frequently asked questions of Cranky Chick:
1. Are you insane? - I'm the most stable person I know. But sometimes I do hear the entire soundtrack from "Elvis - Live at Madison Square Garden" playing in my head.
2. Do you rant like this in real life? - Worse. Much worse.
3. Are you always arrogant and opinionated? - You make it sound so ugly. I prefer the terms, "confident and assertive". And actually, I'm quite humble, quiet and sensitive when I'm not ripping people new ones.
4. Do you really wear those sunglasses in your picture? - Yes. They're my favorites. No sunlight gets in, and no one can see my eyes summing them up for psychological stability.
5. Are you 8 feet tall? You seem like you must be 8 feet tall. - No. I'm 5'3 1/2" tall with a much taller self-esteem.
6. Do you care what people think of you? You seem like you just don't care. - I, in fact, do not care. My mother is an exception, my family members and a few close friends that I respect.
7. Why don't you care? - Because I'm strong and independent. I couldn't tell you what peer pressure feels like because I've never experienced it. You must be able to stand alone, apart from the jeering crowd and say, "I'm ok". If you do something because the crowd does it, I have no use for you; I love original thinkers with the confidence to be in the minority. The most brilliant ideas have come from people strong enough to buck the crowd. I so admire and respect them.
8. How can I be more like you? - You have no idea what you're asking. But since you did:
Pull your head out of your ass, don't make the same mistake twice, don't surround yourself with people that suck the life right out of you, be passionate about something, don't be afraid to feel and let it show, do everything in moderation, be compassionate of those who didn't choose their lousy situation and pity not the ones who did. Respect your elders, don't worship "stuff", play fair until the other person doesn't and then rock their world. Be kind to and care for animals, take care of your mother, be prepared to lose your life for a true friend or family member, don't be a sissy-girl, have a sense of humor, don't wallow, believe in yourself. Laugh often and from the gut, always look to improve yourself or learn something new, don't take advantage of people, be honest, and never leave the house without checking your nose for boogers.
9. Are ranters born or made? - Oh how they're made...
10. If you're so unmaterialistic, how come you're building a fancy house? - Well, first of all, it won't be "fancy", but "rustic". Second, a home is the reward for: a lifetime of hard work, not mooching off of others, taking responsibility for myself and my choices, and sacrificing "material" things. A home, mind you - not a "residence", a "pad", a "crib" or a "house", but a home. If you don't understand the difference then have fun being an apartment dweller the rest of your life.
Posted by Cranky at August 22, 2002 08:54 PMFar from insane! You are an individual who should be respected as such. If everyone in the world acted the same, looked the same, behaved the same and thought the same what a boring world it would be. I find your thoughts, writing, and opinions (though they sometimes are different from mine) to be refreshing. Don't conform for the sake of fitting in. There is an old quote that I believe in a lot, and I will share it with you...
"In matters regarding style, swim with the current; in matters regarding principal, stand like a rock." --Thomas Jefferson
Posted by: roger on August 22, 2002 11:08 PMSo much of that rang true for me.
I've spent a lot of my life feeling like the odd-one-out in my family, my school, at work and in some social situations.
Like you suggest, I've tried to remain true to myself, and not just follow the crowd. It's not always easy, but you can't kid yourself forever.
A few years ago, back in Britain, I had two friends, one male, one female, both "come out" to me within the same week.
They didn't know each other. They were both in their early thirties, when they came out, and I was left wondering what life for them had been like all these years, pretending to be like "the majority".
The funny thing was, I'd always known. In the case of the female friend, I'd known before she did! She was married when I first met her. She later said that everyone she told reacted as I did. ie. "You're gay? That's great, but what was this BIG surprise you had to tell me?"
Posted by: Max on August 23, 2002 01:13 AMShe's nuts! I tell you! The woman is mad! And she's a chronic urinator to boot!
Posted by: MG on August 23, 2002 08:56 AMWhy is it that I think 5'3" and a *half* might be stretching it a bit? Mwahahahahaha.
Just kidding.
Oh, and I think I can clear this up. Tess is, indeed, completely insane. ;)
Posted by: Kelly on August 23, 2002 06:46 PMYou forgot to add “check for stragglin’ nose hairs”. Those are the worst, because stragglin’ nose hairs are the culprits responsible for making you think you have boogers hanging out of your nose, when really it’s an unsightly hair. Lord I hates me some stragglin’ nose hairs.
Posted by: jhames on August 23, 2002 10:15 PM