Monday, March 5, 2012

Normal V. Boring

I fancy myself a fun person. I enjoy a good laugh and will usually do anything if dared to, crave travel and adventure, and love me a good party; but today my friend Gina and I were discussing whether we are normal or boring.
I don't watch any of the 'Real Housewives of...', have never seen a whole episode of 'Survivor', 'Jersey Shore' or 'Big Brother'. I just don't crave that kind of drama. I don't think it's fun or entertaining to be mean spirited to others, nor do I think it's funny to watch people who do nothing but get drunk, make fools of themselves and have no other ambition in life than to sleep with as many people as possible. I just don't understand the draw for these 'reality' shows. If they do reflect reality, it's a sad world we live in.
I try not to gossip, when some one tells me something personal, whether it be in strict confidence or not, I don't pass that information on to others: it is not my story to tell. It would hurt my feelings massively to hear someone say something about me that isn't true or that I thought was shared in confidence.
While I require girls' night occasionally, I prefer the company of my husband over anyone else in the world. We enjoy each other. We rarely fight, have never really yelled at each other, never belittle one another. We are happy. We don't hold grudges, if there is a problem, we solve it together, no 3rd party required. We try to be kind and respectful to each other. Each of us sacrifices our pride regularly. I don't enjoy hearing others talk about their husbands or men in general as if they are stupid, insensitive, incapable, blundering idiots. A. is none of those things, and I don't think it is helpful to any relationship to harbor those kinds of feelings about someone. I'm not saying my marriage and relationship is perfect, there are times when he frustrates me (mostly when I want him to read my mind and he can't), but it is an excellent one.
My children are not a nuisance, they bring me joy, they make me laugh, they test me and regularly drive me crazy, they also are actively molding me into a better person.
I try not to swear. It is inappropriate that so many people on 'reality' TV use foul language in their everyday lives, and shame on the editors for using so many clips of their subjects featuring a swear word. Sure it is bleeped out, but anyone watching knows what is said based on context. Why does anyone even need those words suggested?
I don't believe in going in to debt for super cars (we have a very adequate used one), extravagant vacations (an adventure is best enjoyed when it is planned out and saved for), expensive clothes (I'm still wearing some of my maternity pants because I don't fit in my pre-pregnancy clothes and I refuse to buy more until I've lost all of my baby weight). In fact, any debt, no matter the size, stresses me out: a lot. My motto is the cheaper the better and free is best.
I grew up in Nevada and have never gambled in my entire life; not even put a nickel in a slot machine. The odds of a return are never high enough for me. I will never take my family to Las Vegas for vacation. Anyone who says that Las Vegas has made itself 'family friendly' is fooloing themselves. There is a problem when my children would have to divert their eyes from the bill boards so they don't see something they would have a hard time forgetting. There is a problem when I have to explain to my children what the fliers say that are handed out on the street. There is a problem when those 'video games' for grown-ups look an awful lot like an arcade. I won't subject my children to those problems.

So you tell me: am I normal or am I boring?