The Happy Post that will make you VOMIT!

As I promised in my last post and the comments that followed, I am dedicating this post mostly to Kim and anyone out there who thinks I am a cynical person. I just want to let you know that you better not like this or expect it ever again from me. The fact that I lead a dull life is the reason why I discuss "depressing" topics in my posts and/or express a "dark" view of certain topics. So brace yourselves for the equivalent of the excitement experienced while riding the train that goes 2 miles per hour in an amusement park full of roller coasters.

Another preemptive thought, please do not take anything said here as a way to brag about anything or to sound condescending to anyone out there. If any of this sound condescending, it's probably because you have an inferiority complex. Not my fault. (See, I couldn't go completely without saying one mean thing in this post!) But I digress...

I lead a very boring life, have always lead a boring life, and will likely forever lead a boring life. The exciting things in my life have not to this point involved any drama or overly sad events. I have been lucky enough to have a wonderful supportive family. My parents love each other now as much as they did 30 years ago, or 35 years ago when they first met. We were never rich, but we weren't poor, and regardless of how much or little money my father made and brought home, my parents never made me feel like there was a shortage of anything. I think this is mainly because they were boring parents, my father kissed my mom before he left for work, and as soon as he walked into the door from work, they showed me love and hugged me and kissed me and taught me many life lessons. My extended family is equally boring in that their worst habit is caring too much about me and butting into my business by always asking me how my life is going and giving me unsolicited advice. I have over 100 first and second cousins from both sides of the family, and every single one of them knows my name and loves me unconditionally. I KNOW, HORRIBLE!

As for education, I have been blessed with the ability to sit my ass down and stay out of trouble long enough to do my homework and do well in school. I have endured a long career as a student, and never gave up to the temptation of just finishing and working until I got to a point where I was satisfied. If I were to line up all the papers and exams I wrote, I can probably cover this whole damn state. The only times I got in trouble in school was for talking too much. I KNOW, SHOCKING!

I have never been dirt poor or filthy rich. But I was blessed with my father's genetic gift of being financially responsible. There were times in college, and without my parents' knowledge, when I had probably $5 in my name and nothing else for weeks at a time. I was living in the dorms at the time, and was able to go on for all that time without looking or feeling or acting poor. I never complained. I chose not to work at times to make sure that I did my best in school, because that's what my primary job was. I never spent more money than I had, and even though I had a credit card, I learned long ago from my father to not put on it more than I actually had to my name, because GOD FORBID I pay a penny in finance charges. Yes, credit card companies hate us. But the important thing is I never dragged anyone down with me when I had no money, and I never made anyone feel guilty about having more money than me in college and being able to order pizza while I had to eat the dorm food. There's a pride in my blood to never let anyone think they're better than me because they have more.

My first job was at McDonald's. I was not too good for any job. I worked in a warehouse of a factory in the heat of the summer, choosing it over an office job, because it was the one I got on my own and not the one that my parents helped me get. Pride is a bitch! I worked really hard and endured a lot more than I let on to get where I am today. And I do resent anyone who thinks that anything that I have now had ever been given to me on a silver platter. But no matter what I do and what I have, that's all immaterial. My pride and joy and happiness are all the result of a wonderful healthy life and being raised by two of the most loving and wonderful parents without whom nothing would ever matter. And when I think ahead and try to look forward to a happy life, I don't think of success, power, and money, the only thing that I can ever hope for is finding a partner who will be with me the other half of a happy marriage and a good journey. If I have learned anything from my parents, I have seen firsthand that lack of money and status do not make a marriage miserable. Love alone is enough. There's a way to have little and make your children feel like they have the world and a lot more than the kids whose parents bought them everything to which they point. Not a day goes by that I thank my parents for all the lessons they have taught me, and the fact that they were able to do all of that without ever sitting me down and saying: say please, say thank you, don't be a slut, work hard, don't let money control who you are, don't make the wrong choices, etc. Somehow all these lessons were passed through without too much preaching and lecturing. The trust and the love between me and my parents is something that no words can describe, and something that cannot be quantified. Best of all, it's something that no one can ever take away from me. It's something that will be with me forever, and something that I know a lot of people are not blessed with. And yes, I think that makes me a happier person and a more complete human being and maybe even better, because I am able to go through life talking about stupid things, because I don't have to deal with the problems a lot of people deal with on daily basis and can never get away from.

Now, go clean your vomit, and wait for the next "cynical" post, because I have to create excitement in my overly happy dull perfect little life. And you bet your ass I won't feel guilty about any of it, because it's the result of hard work, either my parents' or mine. No one is unlucky. You can only achieve as hard as you work towards a goal. And remember, success is not always measured in dollars. In fact, the best success in life is never measured in dollars!