Growing up, my family did not have a lot to call their own. Needless to say, I learned quickly about the value of money. It was also drilled into me the value of a hard days work. My father always commented on how that "little bit of extra elbow grease can go a long way". Two lessons I have never forgotten about.
This last year and a half, that little bit of extra elbow grease has become key in my every day survival.
Its helped me endure my first ever 16 week marathon training course...and also saw me pull through the race its self. Upright and smiling at the end, and literally begging for more races. I am not a natural runner, this is something that over the last 3 years, I have had to work at each and every time I laced up my sneakers. I have had bad, bad runs, and I have had runs where afterwards I have a surreal feeling for hours or days.
I changed career paths, from one that saw me have a sizable yearly salary, benefits and vacation pay to one that was quite literally if you don't work, then you do not get paid type of deal. By putting in that little bit of extra elbow grease, I am now back in a salary position within the new career path, with benefits, sick days and vacation. I worked my tail off almost 7 days a week, for months, to get to this point.
And I had the privilege of being picked for the first ever pro dance team for a major sporting team in town. I hadn't a lick of dance experience prior to joining the team. During practices, because I did not understand the lingo they were using I felt lost. I practiced on the sidelines, away from the main group, for more than half the season. I left practices in tears also for more than half the season. Not because the people were unfriendly, quite the opposite. I was frustrated with myself for not being able to pick up the routines as quickly as I wanted to. In the end, with persistence, I made it through to the end of the year, and rejoined the team this year.
These three aspects of my life are huge. I have had to work extremely hard at each of them. I am not a natural runner, teacher or dancer. But I gave it that little bit of extra elbow grease in all three areas, and was able to come out on top, upright and smiling.
Because I have had to work so hard at each of these things, I tend to take things "slightly" personally when someone voices their opinion of my abilities in these areas. I fully realize that I am not a fast runner by any means, Boston isn't even an option for me at this time. Having to work every weekend for months, yes, sucks, but it paid out in the end. And yes, I get to pay for a ring to commemorate my being on the dance team, silly? may be, but I earned it.
Now please do not get me wrong, people that are naturally talented amaze me to no end. I love watching naturally talented runners, teachers and dancers...or people that are naturally talented in other areas, like Anderson Silva and other MMA fighters as an example.
But there comes a time when a naturally talented person, loses their luster in my eyes, when cockiness gets in the way. Just because your good at something, doesn't mean that you are to be held in a higher regard than everyone else. As far as I am concerned, you just canceled out your natural talent when you started acting like "the bomb".
I tend to give more credit to those who have had to put in that little bit of extra elbow grease over those that are naturally talented. Personal bias? Oh heck yes. Natural talent is too often squandered. When elbow grease comes into play, it is because that person really wants what they are working towards. They tend to be more invested or passionate about it.
In the end, you cannot deny someone respect that is due, when grease comes into play.
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
The Lingo Part 55
Phew! Its been 8 months of singledom, and man oh man, the new lingo I am picking up never seems to cease. This also appears to be one of the more popular topics that I write about, so here are some new dating/single/seeing/relationship terms for y'all!
1. The Stand Up Guy: according to Urban Dictionary (woot woot! new fav website!), this is a Mafia term (something that is akin to my blood) that refers to a businessman that is not one to bullshit, can be trusted and will do anything for his family. This type of guy when on the dating hunt, is very very elusive. Only coming out in the daylight when all of us gals are at work. This guy is the one that we all wish we were dating, because we know that he won't downgrade our dates or stand us up, that he will return calls and txts promptly, that he wont go out and get smashed the night before meeting our parents for brunch, he holds down continuous employment, can dress himself, knows how to act accordingly in a group setting and has overall incredible hygiene. This is a much like a unicorn, but if you take a close look at your guy friend roster, you more than likely have a few hiding out.
2. The Year of Trampage: this is a year free of judgement for a lady or gentleman (then refered to the Year of Manwhore), where a person is permitted to do whomever, where ever, when ever. In order to qualify for the Year of Trampage/Manwhore one must have broken up from a significant relationship recently, and by significant, we are talking 3 years plus. If under the 3 year requirement, the year can then be reduced to 6 months for 2 years and 3 months for 1 year and so on. Friends of either a man or woman that is participating in this Year, must remember that this is a no judgement year, so close your eyes, plug your ears and smile!
3. The Downgraded Date: this is my new favorite term by far. Boy asks girl (all scenarios can easily be switched around), on a date on a Sunday. Girl accepts. Girl confirms date is still a go on Thursday. Boy then "magically" remembers a friends birthday party for the time of the date planned. Boy offers to cancel, but expresses that he still really wants to see the Girl, so "how about the afternoon instead?". Do not be confused, this IS the proverbial slap in the face. Through use of non verbal communication, Boy has then told Girl that "she is not a priority over and above drinking with buddies and therefore should not waste her time with me". Ladies, move on. This is NOT a stand up guy. Now, as an exception to most things, life does come into play, such as a death, car accident ect. But should be treated on a case by case basis. Tread lightly.
4. The Stand Up: this is a tactic employed by both guys and gals who do not wish to participate in a date, and is generally used in place of being a real person and calling/txting to cancel. People who engage this strategy are usually cowards, or cocky POS's, that honestly think that the person they made plans with is of a lower class/status than they are. What they are forgetting is that its the other way around. In chatting with a number of my guy friends, not one of them has ever stood a girl up. They have at least done their best to use any form of communication to cancel or reschedule the date. Ladies and gents, it takes 2 seconds to send a txt, don't be a namby pamby.
5. The Pimp Bench: this is a post break up or Year of Trampage/Manwhore, rotation of the opposite sex that you can have a good time with, cause they are super chill. You cycle these people on and off the bench to keep things markedly superficial. This also assist in avoiding the "rebound".
Even though I realized not too long ago that I am much better at being in a relationship than out of one, I am feeling way more at ease with dating this time around. I credit this to figuring out the lingo.
1. The Stand Up Guy: according to Urban Dictionary (woot woot! new fav website!), this is a Mafia term (something that is akin to my blood) that refers to a businessman that is not one to bullshit, can be trusted and will do anything for his family. This type of guy when on the dating hunt, is very very elusive. Only coming out in the daylight when all of us gals are at work. This guy is the one that we all wish we were dating, because we know that he won't downgrade our dates or stand us up, that he will return calls and txts promptly, that he wont go out and get smashed the night before meeting our parents for brunch, he holds down continuous employment, can dress himself, knows how to act accordingly in a group setting and has overall incredible hygiene. This is a much like a unicorn, but if you take a close look at your guy friend roster, you more than likely have a few hiding out.
2. The Year of Trampage: this is a year free of judgement for a lady or gentleman (then refered to the Year of Manwhore), where a person is permitted to do whomever, where ever, when ever. In order to qualify for the Year of Trampage/Manwhore one must have broken up from a significant relationship recently, and by significant, we are talking 3 years plus. If under the 3 year requirement, the year can then be reduced to 6 months for 2 years and 3 months for 1 year and so on. Friends of either a man or woman that is participating in this Year, must remember that this is a no judgement year, so close your eyes, plug your ears and smile!
3. The Downgraded Date: this is my new favorite term by far. Boy asks girl (all scenarios can easily be switched around), on a date on a Sunday. Girl accepts. Girl confirms date is still a go on Thursday. Boy then "magically" remembers a friends birthday party for the time of the date planned. Boy offers to cancel, but expresses that he still really wants to see the Girl, so "how about the afternoon instead?". Do not be confused, this IS the proverbial slap in the face. Through use of non verbal communication, Boy has then told Girl that "she is not a priority over and above drinking with buddies and therefore should not waste her time with me". Ladies, move on. This is NOT a stand up guy. Now, as an exception to most things, life does come into play, such as a death, car accident ect. But should be treated on a case by case basis. Tread lightly.
4. The Stand Up: this is a tactic employed by both guys and gals who do not wish to participate in a date, and is generally used in place of being a real person and calling/txting to cancel. People who engage this strategy are usually cowards, or cocky POS's, that honestly think that the person they made plans with is of a lower class/status than they are. What they are forgetting is that its the other way around. In chatting with a number of my guy friends, not one of them has ever stood a girl up. They have at least done their best to use any form of communication to cancel or reschedule the date. Ladies and gents, it takes 2 seconds to send a txt, don't be a namby pamby.
5. The Pimp Bench: this is a post break up or Year of Trampage/Manwhore, rotation of the opposite sex that you can have a good time with, cause they are super chill. You cycle these people on and off the bench to keep things markedly superficial. This also assist in avoiding the "rebound".
Even though I realized not too long ago that I am much better at being in a relationship than out of one, I am feeling way more at ease with dating this time around. I credit this to figuring out the lingo.
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