This father’s day I saw Toy Story 3 with my sister and dad. While I won’t spoil any of it for people, the basic idea behind it is that people grow up and move on. As I sat there with my dad and sister watching the end of a saga that started when I was four, I couldn’t help but have flashbacks to my own childhood.
We all have things we hold onto that remind of us being a kid, whether we openly admit it or not. For some people it may be a stuffed tiger, for others it may be a blanket they carried around everywhere like Linus from the peanut gallery. These things give us comfort when times are rough, and remind of us a time when simple. They remind me of us of a time that our parents took care of everything for us, and made the monsters go away.
Just because we are capable of handling our own boogie men now for the most part doesn’t mean we no longer need our parents. Everyone makes mistakes, and when you really need them parents are there ...sometimes even when you don’t. We move out into the real world, go off to college, find jobs, but we take these things from our childhood with us. Why? Because they remind us that the people who provided them for us are always there with us, and while we may miss them they would want us to do our best.
Personally, the kid who wondered if his toys could talk after he watched the original Toy Story with my parents will always be a part of me. To this day, I still believe the toys come to life when we sleep. Parents, take note. I may seem more grown up, but I’ve just managed to organize my pretend games into something a tad more socially acceptable.
I realize this is just about the sappiest post I’ve ever written, but I’m willing to take that risk. This post goes out to both my parents, whose encouragement of my imagination led to the some of the topics you’ve all enjoyed reading here. I blame all my eccentricities on them, but I also love them for it.
Dad, consider this an extra father’s day present.
Until next time,
I'm just your friendly neighborhood bloggerman
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
On display for your viewing pleasure: Foreigners
This post brought you by Naxos, Greece. Famous for it’s Potatoes, Naxos is the stop for potato lovers of all sorts. (Somewhat sadly, I didn’t totally make this up. The guide book goes on and on about Naxos’ Potatoes)
The setting is a European cafe, a place where one stops to get coffee and as my Greek friend so eloquently put “argue over politics”. Suddenly, the pair turns their chair to watch the on coming crowd and stare at them as they walk by. A spectator sport, people watching seems to be much more blatant in Europe than it is America. While turning to watch people is creepy in America, in Europe it is nothing but status quo.
As I walk by these cafes and notice the people watching me as I walk by, I always wonder what they think about me. While I hope they think, “there goes a dignified gentleman with his head held high” they probably think more along the lines of “there goes a young man who slouches, wears stupid slogans that he thinks are witty on his T-shirts, and he is definitely American. No self respecting European man would ever dress like that” That may be a tad extreme( and harsh towards my fashion sense), but one can’t help but feel the silent judgement that is passed as they walk by.
I never know what to do in those situations. Do you simply look away and pretend that you don’t notice their eyes watching you? Do you acknowledge them with a smile, or for the more playful of us a wink even? Is it a cultural difference that makes me more uncomfortable being watched than a European would be?
While none of these people are quite pulling an Edward Cullen ( the term for creepily watching me as I sleep), I still feel a sincere discomfort from being watched. I realize though, I am guilty of it on a much more subtle level. We all are. We all take into account our surroundings and make silent judgements (or not so silent depending upon the person) about the people who are surrounding us. You’d think knowing this, the lack of subtlety wouldn’t bother me but it still does.
I’ve decided the next time someone is so blatant as to turn their chair to see what I am doing as I pass by, I will stop where I am standing and give them something to look at. If they are so curious as to fully turn their chairs to see what I’m doing, why should I be so ungracious as to bore them? I will continue to wear my shirts with the silly slogans. Some Europeans may think of it as me being a dumb American, but maybe my shirts will make one bored Coffee drinker’s day.
Until next time,
I’m just your friendly neighborhood Bloggerman
The setting is a European cafe, a place where one stops to get coffee and as my Greek friend so eloquently put “argue over politics”. Suddenly, the pair turns their chair to watch the on coming crowd and stare at them as they walk by. A spectator sport, people watching seems to be much more blatant in Europe than it is America. While turning to watch people is creepy in America, in Europe it is nothing but status quo.
As I walk by these cafes and notice the people watching me as I walk by, I always wonder what they think about me. While I hope they think, “there goes a dignified gentleman with his head held high” they probably think more along the lines of “there goes a young man who slouches, wears stupid slogans that he thinks are witty on his T-shirts, and he is definitely American. No self respecting European man would ever dress like that” That may be a tad extreme( and harsh towards my fashion sense), but one can’t help but feel the silent judgement that is passed as they walk by.
I never know what to do in those situations. Do you simply look away and pretend that you don’t notice their eyes watching you? Do you acknowledge them with a smile, or for the more playful of us a wink even? Is it a cultural difference that makes me more uncomfortable being watched than a European would be?
While none of these people are quite pulling an Edward Cullen ( the term for creepily watching me as I sleep), I still feel a sincere discomfort from being watched. I realize though, I am guilty of it on a much more subtle level. We all are. We all take into account our surroundings and make silent judgements (or not so silent depending upon the person) about the people who are surrounding us. You’d think knowing this, the lack of subtlety wouldn’t bother me but it still does.
I’ve decided the next time someone is so blatant as to turn their chair to see what I am doing as I pass by, I will stop where I am standing and give them something to look at. If they are so curious as to fully turn their chairs to see what I’m doing, why should I be so ungracious as to bore them? I will continue to wear my shirts with the silly slogans. Some Europeans may think of it as me being a dumb American, but maybe my shirts will make one bored Coffee drinker’s day.
Until next time,
I’m just your friendly neighborhood Bloggerman
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