Really? You think that huh?

Come on in and grab a stump. Some nice soup is available, home made chicken rice. Y'know what I love most about our talks? You folks. Even the crazy folks over in Germany and Russia who apparently check in regularly. I swear that stat page is freakin' me out.

So interesting situation yesterday: At football practice someone scoffed at me for something I enjoy doing. Now here is the thing. I have never understood how having one trait that can be attributed to you somehow precludes you from others. Never have. Ever. Don't get it. Don't like it either.

See I mentioned LARPing. That's Live Action Role Playing. I love LARPing. I love saying LARPing (G'won say it, you'll enjoy the experience). I love the entire concept of bending my entire imagination to doing something completely unlike my life for nothing more than enjoyment. Cuz my imagination is pretty keen.

And one of the kids goes 'What that vampire thing? Do you sparkle?' And there was a guffaw, and I looked at the kid and said 'Nope. But the hot chicks who dress rather scantily sometimes do.' And I felt bad about that, because I made it sound like I went there to try to pick up half nekkid wimmin when that's not that case.

I then asked him, 'Why would you scoff at something that utilizes someones imagination to such a magnificent degree?' Yeah, the kids I coach are starting to get used to big words. Well, except this one who went 'RRrrrrrrrrrrrrwha?' To which I said 'Why would any activity that someone does somehow deserve your insults?' 'I dunno, seems pretty geeky.'

'Ah,' sez I in my wise old man manner, 'so does that make me a geek?' And he doesn't know what to do so I smile and say, 'answer honestly, it's ok.' And he kinda quickly nods, hoping that some lightning bolt, or a coach won't suddenly crush his soft skull.

'Ah,' sez I in my all-too-knowing voice, 'But this is one geek who could strap on the pads and still wipe the floor with you. Let alone if you were to cross the span of time to try it while I was in high school as well.' And suddenly he gets all frightened and I chuckle, in my foolish-child-suffering way. 'Naw, don't sweat it. But don't ever think that one activity precludes you from another.'

And that I think is the thing that bugs me. It's not even a social thing, or a bully thing, or trying to teach a lesson, although one was learned. What bugs me is this idea that we should be good at like one or two things and that's it. To quote Heinlein: 'A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.'

When did we forget that we are not specialists? Well we are, in the ability to think ahead, but beyond that we're the ultimate generalists. We should be able to do it all!! Now truly, those that become great in any particular field most likely bent a considerable amount of their energy to that one goal but I'd bet my left testicle that they were damn good at a number of things.

So if you wish to continue in your bug-like ways, feel free. Me, I'm gonna continue in my own way, able to do it all and feel comfortable in just about any situation thrown at me.