i was in middle school and went to olive garden with my parents. the waiter had one of those voices that…you know, that men in the gay community normally have.

and so they had this soup on the menu i wanted called pasta fagioli that i wasn’t sure how to pronounce and also i had social anxiety

and it didn’t go well

  • The Snark Urge@lemmy.worldEnglish
    52·
    9 months ago

    In high school, I had a red corduroy coat. I adorned it with patches. I glued Celtic jacquard ribbon to it at the cuffs and hems. I added brass stars and studs to it. I wore it to school and felt really cool. In my mind, I was a wizard.

    I’ve never been afraid to stand out, but I’ve learned to do it more judiciously.

    • janus2@lemmy.sdf.org
      264·
      9 months ago

      in your defense that sounds awesome. the people who gave you shit for dressing creatively are the cringe

      • The Snark Urge@lemmy.worldEnglish
        18·
        9 months ago

        In principle, I agree. But you had to see this jacket, paired as it was with a white boy afro. Truly a diagnosable countenance.

        • Empricorn@feddit.nl
          4·
          9 months ago

          There’s nothing wrong with being proud of yourself. But we’re humans and all go through ups and downs in our lives that can make us complacent… So I propose: shouldn’t we strive to be the best version of ourselves?

          • kakes@sh.itjust.works
            3·
            9 months ago

            I think we’re all already doing that. If someone is falling short of what you might call their “best”, that’s a problem with your measurement, not their effort.

            I used to have issues with anger. Had you seen me at the time, you might’ve thought I wasn’t trying to be better. Honestly, at the time, I’m not sure I can truthfully say I was trying to be better.

            But I know now that my anger was caused by childhood trauma, and I was dealing with it the only way I knew how to at the time. I was being my best self, but to anyone else it looked like I was at my absolute worst.

            You are exactly who you are, and the reasoning behind what you’re doing isn’t always obvious - even to yourself. I think that no matter what you do, you’re doing your best at it simply by virtue of doing it at all.