Phew, writing on a word document again. My hope is that this sort of thing just gets easier with time. Because, I am trying to formalize and refine my writing as a rule of thumb from now on.
I don’t think it has to be bare, or stoic like Hemingway’s writing was. But my hope is that it isn’t loose, rambunctious, or ostentatious, such as the writings of…(Insert Unknown Author).[1]
I’ve been working. And it is funny to me that when we work, we can’t enjoy life as well; And when we make playing our work, it isn’t as much fun. Balance is still a great key to life, along with focus and priority, of course.
When I was a kid, my mom watched Craig Ferguson on The Late Late Show. Women always prefer men they are attracted to, but she told me, that in my humor, I should be more like Craig Ferguson, and less like Jim Carrey.
I can be over the top. Sometimes we all need someone to be uncool enough to enjoy themselves and allow us to relax, and other times, it is a bad look, and draws negative attention, along with discomfort and distain.
I don’t think you have to dig very deep with my writings, or if you know me, think too hard, to find an example of a time when I was a bit obnoxious, unrestrained, or indulgent. I’m a work in progress. I don’t want to be Marcus Aurelius, but I don’t want to be Jim Carrey either.
It is a fine line between being yourself and being what others want you to be. I know there are some qualities about myself that aren’t attractive and are borderline flitty. And I try to be aware of and accept those parts of who I am without making a spectacle of myself.
I used to always blame the fact that I always found myself at the center of attention because I was an Aries, the same way someone just accepts they don’t know their left and rights. I don’t think the fact that I was always the most important person in a room has as much to do with the month I was born, as much as it has to do with me being very focused on myself most of the time.
It’s hard to have a conversation you might want to have with someone when Jim Carrey is in the room.
As I have been going into work more, I have also changed how I teach a bit. I still let the kids be kids, but this year, I’m not one of the kids (well, not as much). The teachers I work with are my peers, not my supervisors (well, most of the time).
There are only a few men in my life that I’ve truly respected and revered. One of them I liked, was a guy named Jeff Hannon. And I respected him because he was funny. He wasn’t silly. He was able to make being serious funny.
I used to butt in every single joke that came to mind, in every single conversation I ever had. And it was funny for a while. But just like writing, or teaching, comedy also deserves to be refined. Anyone can interject something funny – a gag. But I am at the point where I have to be able to read the room, or phone call; to know the tone; and if you are going to be humorous, at least make it sound competent and coherent.
Handsome isn’t funny. But true wit, looks good.
[1] They are unknown because they never refined their work well enough.
Ben Bonkoske 