Came home to start again, Returned to where my life began, Right where I need to be

When the bottom falls out,
Lost with no place to go
Won't wallow in frustration
Instead, I will set out For the only destination
Where all is forgiven... Home

Came home to start again, Returned to where my life began, Right where I need to be

The title of this post is part of the chorus to a song I am writing inspired by the following…

"My Human Mirror" Lyrics Originally posted September 2013

Have you ever met someone (not related to you) that is so similar to you that it scares you? Someone who shares the same personality, habits, mannerisms? If this happens what do you call that person?  How about your human mirror?

I met my human mirror about two years ago. My feelings are still mixed about this man, kind of a love/hate relationship.  Some days we could spend all day having a great time together and other days we couldn't stand each other. This is a song I wrote about that experience.

WHEN I LOOK AT YOU, I SEE ME 

SCARY TO SEE YOURSELF

REFLECTED IN SOMEONE ELSE

WE ARE THE SAME, IN SO MANY WAYS

KNOWING YOU IS... KNOWING ME

BLIND IF YOU DON’T SEE

YOU ARE ME TO A "T"

~~Chorus~~

I SEE IN YOU THE THINGS I LOVE ABOUT ME

YOU WILL ALWAYS STAND OUT IN A CROWD 

EVERYTHING ABOUT YOU IS LOUD AND PROUD 

EVEN WHEN YOU ATTEMPT YOU CANNOT BLEND 

CAST A SHADOW ON ALL OF YOUR FRIENDS 

I SEE IN YOU THE THINGS I LOVE ABOUT ME 

TO BE SURER, I GET NEARER 

YOU ARE MY HUMAN MIRROR 

AT FIRST, THRILLING TO DISCOVER 

~~

OUR SIMILARITIES ARE CEASELESS

WORKED TO FIX OUR BROKEN PIECES

LEARNED WHO I AM EVALUATING YOU 

NOW ENLIGHTENED, TO SELF BE TRUE 

NOW BETTER PEOPLE, BRAND NEW 

YOU CAN INFUSE A RAINY DAY WITH SUNSHINE 

BUT I KNOW THE DARKNESS YOU HIDE INSIDE 

YOU AND ME ARE ALWAYS APOLOGIZING 

DONE NOTHING BUT GUILT IS RISING 

IF A SOULS IN NEED OF A KIND DEED 

WE GIVE THEM IT ALL UNTIL WE BLEED 

SHOULD LEARN BUT NEVER TAKE HEED, 

TOO NICE WE FALL VICTIM TO DECEPTION

~~Chorus~~

I SEE IN YOU THE THINGS I HATE ABOUT ME 

YOU DO WHATEVER WITHOUT QUESTION 

JUST EXPECTING EVERY ONE'S INGESTION 

MOST SWALLOW IT HOOK, LINE AND SINKER 

ALL WRAPPED UP ON YOUR LITTLE FINGER 

I SEE IN YOU THE THINGS I HATE ABOUT ME 

SELF-REFLECTION, WORSE THAN HORROR 

YOU ARE MY HUMAN MIRROR 

AT LAST, A NIGHTMARE TO BEHOLD

~~ 

GO AHEAD TRY TO CONCEAL YOUR TRUE SELF

HIDE YOURSELF FROM EVERYONE ELSE 

STILL CAN'T HIDE FROM YOUR MIRROR

IT WILL ALWAYS REFLECT YOU BACK

TRY AS YOU MIGHT YOU CAN'T FOOL YOURSELF

LET THEM SAY YOU’RE NOT GOOD ENOUGH 

DON’T BELIEVE IT, THEY CAN'T MEASURE UP

WHEN YOUR GAME OF CHARADES IS DONE

SEEK ME OUT, I WILL FORGIVE YOUR ERRORS

ABOVE ALL ELSE, I'LL LET YOU BE YOURSELF

MY HUMAN MIRROR, ISN'T IT ALL CLEARER

EVERY MIRROR, EVERY WINDOW OR PUDDLE 

EVERY REFLECTION IT'S ME YOU SEE

I WILL REMIND YOU WITHOUT ANY TROUBLE

IT'S ME WHO KNOWS YOU LIKE NO ONE OTHER

© 2013 Stacy M Price (AKA MalibuNinja)

The Last Lot Standing… post from 2013

My son and I currently live with my grandparents in the home I spent most of my childhood in. It is quite strange to be raising my son in the same house that I was raised in. The house is pretty much the same as it was when I was a kid but the neighborhood has changed so much.


Sometimes I find myself reminiscing about the carefree days of my childhood spent here.   Back when I was growing up here, our house was one of only a handful on the block.  There were Quail running all over the neighborhood, chattering in their unique Quail way.  Deer were around but mostly you saw them near wooded areas like in the park down the street. 
Kids were allowed to run in the empty lots, play with other neighbor kids (to which there were many) and visit with the older neighbors.  My favorite neighbors were a retired couple across the street; we would play cards sitting in their kitchen nook while eating goldfish crackers and sometimes they would take me golfing and then out for ice cream afterwards.  There wasn't a need for a lot of parental supervision because there was little threat of danger.


If you saw anyone out walking their dog or just going for a stroll you always knew them personally, there were no strangers in this neighborhood.  They would wave and say hi, most times stopping for a quick chat before resuming their walk. 


Now, the area is flooded with people and houses are everywhere.  It's still a very nice place to live with beautiful views and nice people but it isn't the nice close-knit neighborhood it was then. Many people have dogs and love to walk them now.  We have made friends with many neighbors but more often than not we don’t know the people walking in the area.

My son LOVES dogs and he asks every person that walks by our house if he can pet their dog.  To him a stranger is a new best friend he just hasn't met yet.  So I keep a close eye on him when he is outside and we have strict guidelines about where he can go and who he can talk to.  It sucks that times have changed so much that we have to keep our kids within arm’s reach in case a psycho kidnapper tries to take them.

Now, There are only a handful of empty lots left in the area. If you go to the beach down the street and look up the hill you can spot the few empty lots very easily, each sticks out like a sore thumb. One of those lots is right next door to us.

The lot next door has been a favorite place to play for over 30 years.  I played there as a child, my sister, my cousins and now my son plays there.  Him and I fly his kite in the lot next door and he plays fetch with the neighbor's dog there. Jamison calls it his field, he sees it as his personal playground.

That lot, the last lot in our neighborhood, was sold a couple of months ago despite never being listed for sale.

I met the woman who purchased it, She seemed very nice.  Her and her husband are from Maine, they moved to Washington a year prior.   Apparently they took a lot of time building a relationship with the owners of the lot in order to eventually purchase it.  Her husband and her are both therapists and they have a private practice located by the marina down the hill from the lot.  They also work with cancer patients at the local hospital. She assured me that they are nice people, good neighbors and that they will make every effort possible to make sure the building of their home easy on my grandparents.  They plan to start building in about a year.


My son and I are going to mourn the loss of that field, I call it "the last lot standing".  It will be a lot worse for my grandparents., I am sure.  They built this home 35 years ago and have slowly watched their gorgeous breathtaking view get covered by new homes going up all around them. My whole life I have looked out of my grandparent’s windows across that empty lot to the south at the spectacular view.  I remember losing the ability to see the actual beach when the house just beyond the last lot standing, was built.  

Well I guess in life there is only one thing that is always consistent and that is that everything will continue to change....  I think it's good to remember the old days but to know that everything happens for a reason.  Things have changed but there is a purpose in what seems random.  We have to find the meaning and go with the flow.

It's a Geek Girl Revolution!!!! GEEKS R CHIC!! Especially the female variety!!!

Recently it has become trendy to be a “Geek Girl”. I discovered this while I was reading some articles online. I came across an article about this "Geek Girl" movement. I learned that geeky chicks (intelligent, gaming and/or technology oriented women) are awesome! I mean, I already knew that, but it seems the rest of the world is catching on to this fact.

Maybe your geekery is something you have attempted to conceal in the past? Well, no need to hide it now. Let your freak flag fly for all to see!

So, HEY LADIES(Those of you who are nerdy, smart, goofy and are into sci-fi, comics, gaming and/or technology)!!!! TAKE NOTE:

FACT 1:     You are a nerd/dork/geek…
FACT 2:     It’s now cool to be a nerd/dork/geek!
Fact 1 + Fact 2= Your a cool ass chick!

Welcome to the “in” crowd! You are now a member of the CHIC ÜBER GEEK Crew!!!! (I MADE THAT UP, JUST NOW)

Okay so now that the celebration is out the way… I have one major issue with this whole Geek Girl Revolution and that is:
 (DRUMROLL PLEASE……)

I despise, reject and ABSOLUTELY avoid all things trendy and aspire TO BE the complete opposite of TRENDY!

The world is full of followers it’s like no one can think for themselves. All these brainless drones just DO WHATEVER THEY ARE TOLD OR WHAT EVERYONE ELSE IS DOING! Like a giant herd of sheep!!!

I refuse to be ordinary, only extraordinary!

So I am torn between avoiding trends and being who I am. I am totally and Utterly a geek girl but now that is trendy. Am I or Aren’t I, that is the Question! Also by choosing to be the opposite of trendy I have started a (or built upon an existing) trend… ??????

I ignore fashion trends, don’t watch television. Most of the time I am in the dark when it comes to what is “in” right now. I wear what I like and/or what looks good on me and is appropriate to the situation. I don’t buy a certain brand of jeans because others think it’s cool, I buy jeans if they make my butt look good and they are reasonably priced.

I wear lime green and bright blue eyeliner, even though I've been told that it is a no-no, especially for a woman my age. I adore crazy hats, my favorite being a giant frog head knit hat with a glitter encrusted tongue sticking out (See picture). I wear offensive t-shirts whenever I want, my favorite being a tee shirt with “Frock You” emblazoned across it, to which I added some sparkles (Frock is a dress shop in Seattle that Johnie & I visited after I aced my mortgage licensing exams).

Sometimes I can offend people without even opening my mouth just because of what I wear or how I look.

I don't EVER wear anything because it’s what everyone else is wearing!!! I don’t pick up new hobbies because it’s what others do or what they think I should do. Don’t get me wrong, I am open to new products, experiences and hobbies. If someone shows me something I like, I am not opposed to adopting it into my arsenal of favorites. I will however only do this because I like it not because it’s what is socially acceptable or expected of me. If something is expected of me I usually tend to do the opposite.. Even as a child I would choose the road less traveled.

I don't care what most people think of me! It's the most freeing feeling when you can just let go and be yourself. Now, I care about what my loved ones think of me but they are also more willing to accept me as who I am.

The majority of humans that I come into contact with judge me based on ignorant surface observations. Some common assumptions: I am skinny so I must not eat, I am blonde so I must be dumb, I have tattoos so I must be a criminal! The truth is that I can put away quite a bit of food (especially cookies!), anyone who knows me will tell you that I am very intelligent and I have a clean criminal history, not a spot on my record!!!

These assumptions sound pretty absurd but it’s a knee jerk reaction for most to judge others based on so little. No one takes the time to learn anything concrete about who you are inside before passing judgment on you. That is exactly why I don't value other's opinion of me.

I actually get a kick out of people’s reactions to me. With my freak flag flying proudly people either duck and cover or they come out of the woodwork to talk to me. People either love me or hate me, they are either entertained and fascinated or completely disgusted by who I am. One thing I can say is that: I am always me, nothing more and nothing less.

I hope this whole Geek Girl trend does not create a bunch of fake she-nerds! I can just see a horde of insecure chicks rushing out to by glasses, gaming systems and computer equipment to imitate us. Might be good for the economy but bad for true geek girls.

I guess if they do try out the geek style, maybe some of them will actually find themselves buried under all the trendy bullshit. Once the avalanche is cleared away they may realize they have been a girly geek all along and just covered it up. Either that or all these “wannabe” geeks will totally ruin the name “geek girl” for the rest of us that are true to our geekery and always have been.

I have pretty much considered myself a geek for as long as I can remember but for sure I HAVE BEEN ONE from the moment I laid my fingers across my first keyboard, way back in the DOS days… I was probably plenty geeky before then but that would have been my defining "geek girl" moment...

Somehow I instinctively knew how to operate my mother’s computer (when I was probably 7 or 8) without any prior knowledge except playing Oregon Trail in the school library. I was enthralled with any machine I was able to use and my interest only grew as time went on.

When I was 12 my mother bought me my very own desktop with all the bells and whistles available at the time (She really couldn't afford it but I think she charged it to my ex-step dad’s Sears account, Oops!!!). I even had a feed through style compact scanner! So I of course got online and started messing around with chat rooms and the infancy of social media platforms.

Since then I have taught myself hundreds of programs, built databases from the ground up, built websites, tried my hand at various types of coding, fixed so many computers I couldn’t count them all, given a ton of computing advise and done my fair share of “hacking” this and that.

“Considering it’s "in" to be a geek now, Do I get geek girl seniority???”

I don't want to toot my own horn but I could run circles around most chicks (or dudes for that matter) when it comes to computers in most any capacity (software, html, coding, hardware, repair, diagnosis, etc.) See the photo above… I think this proves how much of a nerd I am… I have pretty much every file I have ever worked with or created on any of my personal computers since about 2000… Of course it’s all archived but available if I needed to access something.

In my research on the “Geek Girl” topic I came across a lot of “Fake Geek Girls” or mention of impersonations. That led me to thinking about why people pretend to be something or someone they are not, why just being themselves isn't good enough.

It’s strange how so many people (online) try to distinguish themselves from the masses. Some just exaggerate themselves to appear cool(er). Others create elaborate alter egos or even worse, they take on the identity of someone they wish they were more like. All because they don’t love themselves as they are.

When out in public in the real world, those same people try to blend in and not be noticed. Shy, self-conscious and meek here in the real world… Weird right??

The anonymity and false sense of security that the internet provides allows people to pretend they are outgoing, social individuals. They must believe that their internet alter ego is completely separate from themselves. That sense of separation must give them guts that they don't have in reality…

Does anyone remember that show “Freaks and Geeks”?

It aired starting in 1999 and the setting was a high school in the mid-west? in the early 80’s. It centered around Lindsay (dark haired girl in the photo) who didn't really fit in so she hung with the “freaks”, her little brother hangs with the “geeks”. The show was genius but for some reason only ran for a season or maybe half of the second season before it was cancelled. I think it should have continued on. It was one of those great shows no one knew about until it was too late!

Thanks for reading! Please leave a comment, I would love to hear your thoughts on the Geek Girl subject!

Refuse to be a prisoner to meaningless opinions...

So True...  I refuse to be a prisoner...  

Think what you may but it won't change me.  Only I can change me and only if and when I feel the need to change...  

The only opinion of me that matters is my opinion of myself!  

Also, what others think of me is none of my business!  :)

Seahawks Stomp Cake (Superbowl Sunday)

How I made this cake:

I used devil's food cake mix. I applied "Cake Release" to the inside of my Pyrex bowl (which makes the cake slide right out of the pan; doesn't matter if its plastic, meal or glass) prior to adding the batter and baked it until a toothpick came out clean. I then placed the bowl on a wire rack to allow it cool, then flipped the cake over onto a cookie sheet to remove it from the bowl. I used a long, thin, forever sharp knife to carefully cut what would become the bottom of the cake so it would sit flat, if you skip this step and the cake sits unevenly it may tear while carving or icing it! I then flipped it over back onto the cookie sheet and froze it for a couple of hours, I carved the football shape but it took a while as the cake would get too warm and I would have to put it back in the freezer to firm it up and then continue where i left off. Lastly I iced it, the Seahawk could have been better but it was done freehand and I was tired... But I did use a little glitter icing! :)

After the Hawks won the championship, I didn't have the heart to cut into this beauty... :) Good thing I brought a "second string" cake and made a last minute substitution!!! Otherwise I may have mauled by the kids wanting cake! Not sure how long I will hang onto this cake but for now it's in the freezer. I am thinking maybe I will save it for the next Seahawks Superbowl game!

Related articles

• Tori Black And The Hottest Seahawks Superbowl Superfans [PHOTOS]
• Derrick Coleman: Only Deaf NFL Player, Now On Superbowl Winning Team

Seahawk's Star QB Russell Wilson has a Long Lost Brother?

News Flash! Russell Wilson has a twin brother no one knows about! 

He lives in Bellingham and should be immediately drafted as 2nd string QB for the SEAHAWKS! Just in case! 

GO HAWKS!! Nothing can stop you now!!! Seal the deal, Get that title, cause you deserve it!!! 

Ron Pai hope you don't mind that I used your photo and exposed you as our kick ass QB's long lost twin brother!!!

The Difference is Why...

"They laugh because I am different... I laugh because they're all the same! I'm proud to be a geek but I am no sheep!" -Malibu Ninja

---

SoulPancake Activities - The Difference is Why- 1 month ago
Quiet people listen more. Shorter people are more grounded. Bookworms are more well-read.  Wallflowers smell better. OK, maybe not necessarily that last one.
Embrace your inner oddball. List all of the best things about being different.

---

I am not capable of being ordinary, only extraordinary. I have always been a little different.  Like a mis-matched shoe that is obvious to anyone who cares to look. 

Have never followed the path those before me have beaten but instead set out on my own to blaze a new trail.  I can’t say that it was always the best option but it was always my decision, rarely influenced by anyone or anything outside of myself.  My route was not the path of least resistance but most of the time it was that of most resistance and often my own choices kicked me in the ass and punched me in the eye!

Seahawks Game Day!!!!!

At the beginning of the season I posted the following graphic predicting that the Seattle Seahawks would keep up the steady pace they were setting, all the way to the playoffs.  

Unlike other teams that showboat and kept their best players in a game despite an obvious lead, Seattle has maintained tact, consistency and a good strategy throughout the year.  Hawks have mostly kept their heads down, staying focused on the goal and plowed on through their games.

So my prediction has come true and they made it, not only to the playoffs but they are going to the Super Bowl!  

I am proud to be a longtime Hawks fan, once again fair weather fans are coming out of the woodwork since the last playoff game against San Fran but I have been supporting my home team for longer than I can remember.  We are (my son and I) very excited to see the Seahawks go to another Super Bowl!

The last time the Hawks played in the bowl was when I was pregnant with Jamison.  He was literally born a Seahawks fan!  Every year he has worn his blue and green and watched games with mommy and hoped to see them go once again.  Now he is getting his wish!

Honor Our Veterans

2nd Grade Looks Good on Little Ninja

My adorable little man... his 2nd grade school pic! pic.twitter.com/f7U1Wyhesz
— Stacy M Price (@stacymcprice) November 9, 2013

Just got Jamison's "Digital Download" School Picture!  We had retakes done because he had his fake "I was told to smile" smile in the first ones but this smile looks genuine and I am very happy with this picture!
2nd grade looks good on him, would you agree?

Don't allow Expectations to Ruin You *Wiz-Dumb Pai*

So many people go through life attempting to control every aspect of their day to day lives.  They plan everything in their minds and expect their plans to become reality.  They expect what they consider to be perfection.  Even if they don't expect exact perfection, they do expect close to it.  Through their predictions they are sure that events will go smoothly for them.  Predicting every outcome so all will be right in their world! 

These people predict what will happen, how it will happen and how they will react to whatever it is.  Then they spend their day manipulating everything and everyone around them in an attempt to produce their desired outcome.  When whatever it is doesn't turn out exactly how they believed it would... well, they become enraged or depressed.

 

When you set expectations you are throwing a metaphorical wrench into the engine of your life. 

"Being a Loner is Usually Best"

The golden rule has been trashed

All alone I stand in protest

Face it, the world is full of unrest

Wars, Genocide, Hatred manifest

Evil prevails, Goodness suppressed

Malevolence rules, humans digressed

Seems a little hopeless I must confess

~~~~~~~~~CHORUS~~~~~~~~~~~~

Being a loner is usually best

Evil fools you, lies expressed

Intentions you misunderstood

Becoming a victim of theft

All your innocence they took

Being a loner is almost always best

Alone is so much easier to digest

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Memories of Birthdays Past

My buddy Brian's Birthday Reminds Me of Birthdays Past...

So firstly, Happy Birthday Brian!  

I can't believe it,  my buddy Brian's girlfriend dumped him, today of all days, His Birthday!!!  Who does that?  Have you ever viciously broken someone's heart on their birthday?

I called Brian to sing him Happy Birthday and he told me what happened, he was devastated and heartbroken, so in an effort to cheer Brian up I created this image for his birthday...

Brian's birthday nightmare makes me think back to the summer I met Brian.  I was 15 or 16 and we met on Alki Beach in West Seattle (Where I lived at the time) and were immediate friends.  We hung almost continually from that point on and I began to date Brian's friend Carlos.

Slow & Steady Wins The Race

All you Hawks fans this graphic is for you...  To remind you that the Hawks rock but they don't need to showboat to prove it!
For all the haters, well this graphic is for you!  To warn you that we will rock your team too!

Johnie Pai & Wiz-Dumb Pai

Johnie is an amazing man; he has patience like no other, is a great listener and gives awesome advice when you need it.

He is the best kind of friend to have; a supportive, honest and trustworthy man. He will always make himself available to lend a hand when someone needs help. He is selfless, compassionate and considerate.  If he was about to eat his only sandwich and realized you needed it more than him; no matter how hungry, he would give it to you and go without.

Johnie would give up anything and everything to improve someone else's quality of life. I have personally witnessed him making so many sacrifices, most without a single complaint, so that others can have what they want or need. Even when his efforts are never acknowledged or appreciated; he still gives and gives, never expecting anything in return.  He will suffer endlessly, if it means that you don't have to.

Not only is Johnie genuinely empathetic but he actually feels the exact emotions that people around him are feeling. He absorbs your undesirable feelings (sadness, pain, anger) and suppresses them.  You are free from that emotional burden while in his presence. Just being around him relieves physical pain as well and stress; I relax when he walks into the house.

---

Quote of the Day:      “Comedy is tragedy plus time.”  --Carol Burnett

---

Sometimes I wonder how Johnie has become so insightful, so patient. I know that he has been through a lot in his time on this earth, he has made his share of mistakes and had his share of triumph.  Most importantly, he has learned from his experiences. 

Johnie will freely admit that he isn't perfect and has made plenty of stupid mistakes as everyone does. "Those who have never made any mistakes have never tried anything new" -Albert Einstein.  Those mistakes are behind him, a lesson learned and he never dwells on what could have been different.

He understands people, animals and nature more than anyone I have ever met. He has this innate ability to "read" people but amazingly he never passes judgment. Within 5 minutes of meeting someone he has a good idea of what they are about and where they are going in life. It doesn't matter if you are the president or a homeless person he will always treat you with respect and kindness and won't pass judgement.

He sees every person is a unique individual, understands that just because they may have chosen a different path in life than most that it doesn't make them good or bad, wrong or right.  Everyone is on their own crazy journey and who are we to judge one another when many of us have been in situations we weren't proud of.

Most times Johnie knows that something is bothering me just by hearing my voice, I don't have to say it.  He sees right through me, even when I am not myself.  Johnie knows what to say to lift my spirits and put me back on track when my train has derailed.

Johnie's intuition is so accurate it is scary. I cannot count how many times he has said something like "I have a feeling…” followed by his “prediction”. I always argue with him and I always have to eat my words. Never has he been wrong. See, if he is unsure of something he won’t say anything at all. So when Johnie does say something it’s because he knows it to be fact, so you better listen.

His outlook on life is so bright. Johnie is a dreamer, head in the clouds but somehow still has one foot firmly planted in reality. Johnie knows that dreams can come true, if you believe in yourself and take the time to follow the path that leads to achieving them. His Philosophies are simple but profound and they have had a positive effect on many lives already.

For months, I have been trying to convince Johnie to allow me to share his thoughts online with people who might benefit from them. Of course, he is very humble and thinks that his musings are not worth sharing.  He says "someone has thought the same things before, it's not like I am the first". 

I enjoy reading his "Johnie-isms" and I tell him that many others on Facebook do as well. So why not blog it up? It couldn't hurt. Finally, he agreed and here we are!

I will feature Johnie's Wiz-Dumb right here on Malibu Ninja Über Geek. Eventually I will have a separate “Wiz-Dumb Pai” blog up and running, which will be specifically dedicated to sharing Johnie’s Wiz-Dumb! I hope you enjoy his philosophies and musings as much as I do!

My neighborhood fan club... (Working outside and the Associated Side Effects)

I work on a bunch of projects constantly...  Mostly I work outside because there isn't a lot of indoor space available but more importantly my grandfather has an allergy to cut wood. Papa also has asthma which makes him extremely sensitive to paint fumes and such.

Let me tell you, this last winter I had gotten really used to numb fingers!  When the weather warmed, I was thankful for Spring and I am very thankful for summer!

"Who I Am"

I see you looking, looking at me

Scrutinize me, tell me what you see?

Are you counting all my flaws

Making a mental list of pros and cons

Or are you imagining me with claws?

Tearing you apart

Not Your Typical Dumb Blonde… I am Trashing the Stereotype!

I refuse to conform to anyone's idea of who or what I should be; I am proud to be me, I am different and totally unique. I allow my freak flag to fly freely! I am incapable of being ordinary, only extraordinary!

For most of my life people have assumed me to be a typical dumb blonde, based solely on the way I look.  Okay, so I am blonde.  I never embraced it until a few years ago though, I spent much of my life trying to ignore and/or hide that fact.  I think it is so unfair to be considered ignorant simply because I am blonde and pretty.  

Anyone who has taken the time to speak with me at any length realizes that I am the exception, not the rule to the dumb blonde stereotype.  Unfortunately, most people don't invest any time in finding out who I am inside, they just believe the outside is sufficient to pass judgement.

Mustache The Right Question

"What are you?" asked a passenger.

"You must ask the right question for the answer you seek"  Johnie replied.

"What nationality are you?" The passenger rephrased his question.

"I have no boundaries, no borders; I am but one resident of earth; connected to all living beings on this planet; for I exist as they do. I am connected with you and the evidence is that you sit here with me here; we have been united for some reason however random it may appear." Johnie answered the question.

Johnie drives a hybrid Taxi cab in Bellingham, Washington.  He is a patient, kind, gentle, friendly man who puts up with a ton of craziness on a daily basis but still has an amazingly positive outlook on life.

Johnie continues when the man appears confused.  He tells the man that he is Hawaiian and when the passenger doesn't seem satisfied with that answer, he tells him that he is also Scotch Irish on his mother’s side. Still the man was not happy with the answers he was receiving.

Unfortunately, many people have this or a similar reaction to Johnie. He has brown skin; some people say he looks middle eastern, some believe that he is Mexican or Asian. I don’t think it should matter what color his skin is or where he came from because those things don’t define who he is.

Everyone's Favorite Vacation Spot...
Hawaii

"You ask me a question to set your own curiosity at ease. I answer your question honestly and tell you I am Hawaiian and you get upset. I tell you I am Scotch Irish on my mother's side and still you are not satisfied. Why must people classify me? Why not see me as what I am, just a peaceful, caring and kind human being." Johnie asks the passenger to which he receives no response.

Why must we label each other? Why put others into categories and form opinions without taking the time to learn who that person is on the inside? Why not be observant, ask meaningful questions, and have a decent chance to gauge who that person really is, based on your interactions?  Can’t we all just open our eyes and see the person in front of us for who they really are?

Before you stamp someone with your label and judge them by it, think about how you have been judged unfairly and inaccurately. As the old saying goes, don't judge a book by its cover. When will we learn that what goes around comes around? Can’t we just embrace individuality and live peacefully and blissfully side by side?

If everyone could be measured based on a set criteria then sorted into say 6 or 10 different classifications, then everyone would be the same 6 or 10 people. The world would be nothing but a whole bunch of sheep following each other around.

 

I don't know about you but I refuse to conform to guidelines, criteria or categories. I am me and there is no one else like me!** Johnie is a very unique person as well, he is like no other that I have come across and it is unfair that he is often judged or worse because of his skin color. Smart people know better than to try to catalog a human being based on surface assumptions…

**(Many people choose to live their lives as sheep because it's easier to do what everyone else is doing and think what you are told to think, than it is to make your own decisions and think your own thoughts. More on the sheep subject in a later post.)

 I would have hoped that we as humans would have learned from our past but we have not and therefore it will repeat itself. How many times in history has a certain "kind" of people been mistreated or killed off? Chaos and destruction of valuable human life simply because the victims were different and fell into an unfavorable minority. People fear what they do not understand and if they don't take the time to understand "different" people then that fear breeds hate and that hate turns to violence, (violence doesn't always occur when hate is present but most of the time it does).

Think of the many instances of genocide; the Armenians massacred by the Ottoman government (during the First World War), the Holocaust when Jews were rounded up and massacred by the Nazis, during the Second World War and more recently the Rwandan Genocide (during the Rwandan Civil War). There are more but you get my point. All of these examples of acts designed to dehumanize a particular ethnic, racial or religious group. I could go on for days about the injustices that the world has seen all because of human classification.

Obviously one passenger attempting to classify and label Johnie is minuscule in comparison with Genocide but it all starts small. Starts with placing labels on people and passing judgment.

We each have the power to make a small difference by existing peacefully. When you come across someone you do not know and maybe do not understand, look for the things you may have in common instead of looking for the differences. Learn to understand them by finding common ground. Don’t assume the worst but give them the benefit of the doubt.

So which is it? Don't judge a book by its cover? Or, your first impression is solely based on the presentation and appearance? I already have my answer, and it's actually quite easy to know others opinion within a matter of seconds.

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Special thanks to Johnie Pai for this story and for being awesome!!