Average Sucks part II

Ok, after reading the post, and the title, I realized I mostly posted something different than what I had originally had thought about(hence the title not meaning much). So now I recall why I had that title, and I am gonna rant about that now.

Being Average.

First I am going to use my kid's softball team as an example, because it is "right now" for me. I've taught her to play, we've done okay, I guess. She isn't exactly a natural-born athlete though. However, we have worked with her and she doesn't "suck". And she has a great attitude. So her first 2 teams, they stink. One win each year and she is one of the better players on the team(which wasn't saying much). This year we manage to get on a really good team. So now she is one of the lower players. There are the ones who never played, and rarely even try, and there are the 'natural born athletes'. She is in the middle. Average. So the 'athletes' get tons of recognition every time they do something. Stars on their uniforms, name in the paper, praise all around. And the sucky ones get recognition when they actually manage NOT to strike out. And where does that leave my kid? Invisible. Noone goes up to my kid after a game and says "way to have an average game! you never struck out(but never hit a home run either), you didn't totally screw up any plays(but didn't make any spectacular ones)". Woohoo. Two games to go, mine is the only one who hasn't gotten a "game ball" or a star for her uniform. I'm sure she may not care, or notice, but someday she will.

Yeah, she does excell other places. Today is the Advanced Reader run at school, and she gets to carry the torch as the 2nd grader with the most points(in reading)edit: ok she is NOT the top reader, they told her she was, and she just called to say that she got beat by some other kid by 3 points. Just figures.). I am thrilled that she is smarter than most of the other kids in her grade. It's not like she's doing advanced calculas or anything though. And I am thrilled she got brains over athletic abilities. I just hope and pray that they get her further than "average". Because honestly, I was in the same shoes when I was her age. And where did it get me?? Yeah, see what I mean. Oooh, I can answer all the questions on 'Jeopardy'. Big woop. I have a great family, but we aren't exactly "fabulous". Especially when I see/compare to others, I see us as 'average'. Not poor losers, but not fancy schmancy rich folks with a boat and SUV.

Let's see where I can go with this. Yeah I wish we were rich. Hell who doesn't? You are a big fat liar if you said you don't wish you were rich. I don't mean Bill Gates rich-that's too much friggin responsibility. I just mean rich enough to A)not have to sit in a house for 2 weeks with no AC(and it's 90º) because we can't afford to have someone come fix it, B)have enough money to fix the cars so I'm not afraid to drive them on crappy tires or afraid the battery will crap out again or something else will go wrong. Maybe to finally be able to buy a dining room set(cos the table we got from someone 9 years ago and has no matching chairs sucks, and we couldn't even eat dinner together at the table if we wanted to), or a bedroom set(at least the cats can't hide things under the bed when the mattresses sit on the floor). Yeah, maybe our priorities suck, maybe we should stop playing Warcraft, take that $45 a month, save it up and buy nice things for the house. And then what, sit around the house like lumps and watch tv? At least we have fun(usually) playing Warcraft. But at least we have a house, and food, and clothes. I thank God for that. We aren't starving or worse. I know things could be worse. Well, hell, I FRIGGIN know, ya know you could have NOTHING like when a hurricane complete obliterates your apartment!! So I KNOW things could be worse.

Sigh.

And now to the Warcraft comparison part of our journey. Average. That's what my characters are. There are the "raiders". They have huge groups that get together and fight the really hard stuff, and they get all the best and fanciest gear. And walk around town like they are IT. And you have the suckwads. The total losers who never level their characters, don't know how to play them, sit around town begging for money or help because they can't do anything for themselves. And then there's me. Average. I don't like the huge groups(or even any groups at all where I have to help someone I don't know), and frankly I couldn't care less about having all the fancy schamcy gear(read: I don't need a Porsche or speedboat to be happy), I'm just fine with what I've got, for the most part. Yeah, there are a few things I wouldn't mind having, but they are obtainable without having to be crazy-good. And I could sacrifice things to get better things, but I don't really see a need to. And what does this get me? Put down by people I know who scoff because I don't strive to drastically improve my character.

Wait. Is that a metaphor for real life? I could stop being a "stay at home" mom, go out and get a fancy job and make lots of money. Work weekends, nights, whatever, as long as we get the moolah, right? Or I could BE HERE for my kid when she needs me. Be there for field trips, or bringing up the snack to school that she forgot, or coming up to see her AR run. I couldn't do all that if I wasn't at home all the time. So average is just fine.

Except when it makes you invisible. Which can suck at times. I think it's time for the next post.