10:52 A.M. - 10.14.2002
Average Joe
From the moment I was born, my mother really drove me to be the best. Anything less was unacceptable. I remember when I came home with my first B. I had to draw up an assessment of what it was that I did wrong and then create a plan of how I was going to improve my grade. I even had to officially sign the document, which my mother then stored away somewhere in her office. I guess if I didn't improve my grade, she was prepared to take me to court for breach of contract or something.

Anyway, I always had it drilled into me that if I was going to do something, I could and should be the best at it. And if I wasn't the best at it, then I wasn't trying hard enough. Hey, that's what my mother told me and I guess I never bothered to question it all that much.

This morning, Timothy and I were discussing my potential career paths. There was becoming a writer, pastry chef and a whole host of other possibilities. Timothy was being really supportive of any of these options, encouraging me just to select one and go with it. Test the waters. See how it works out.

My argument was that there was no way I could become a writer. There are so many incredible writers out there now, who've actually taken classes and who have vocabularies bigger than a 7th grader's. I didn't see it as an option.

And as for pastry chef? Good God! Again, there are tons of people out there whipping up all sorts of tantalizing dishes with ingredients I've never even heard of! I didn't think I had the creativity to conjure up anything that would stand out.

And that's when it happened. The Big Breakthrough. The Sudden Realization. It was like the time I thought I had discovered a mathematical cure for cancer after a 3 day substance binge. (I'm telling you, if I'd had a pen on me, this world would be cancer-free by now).

Timothy quietly pointed out that in envisioning my careers, I made the automatic assumption that I would have to become the best. And not just the best, but the world's best. Or at the very least, within the world's top three. (I know. I'm so psycho.)

But you know, he was totally right. By some sick reasoning, I assumed that not being able to become one of the world's best, in whatever field, automatically ruled that out as a potential career.

My wise husband gently informed me that I didn't have to be a cut above the rest in order to pursue a job or a career. I didn't need to have super extraordinary talents in my field of choice. It was okay to be average. Average people still brought home the bacon.

I don't have to become the world's greatest living writer. I can totally become one of those writers no one ever reads. Or the writer that no one believes got published without some sort of sexual favor. Because I'd still be a writer.

And I can totally become a pastry chef and work at trying to perfect the crust on those Burger King pies. I don't have to beat an Iron Chef or have my own show. I'd still make pastries and probably eat most of them.

Is this what it's like for you people? Because man, have I been missing out! Who knew that it was so easy?

Today we say goodbye to SKIM...and say hello to Average Joe.

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