Learning the Game

A couple weeks ago, I headed down to Staten Island after I was done with institute, since Dave was heading back home and said he would give me a ride. Plus, this would be a good opportunity to see a bit of Staten Island (that's three of five boroughs now), and see this infestation he was talking about (that I really looked forward to).

Anyway, as I was waiting at the ferry stop on the island for Dave, I saw this family with several young children, aged between 4 and 12. They were playing. Remember those days? When play was simple, games were simple and had clear rules (e.g. tag - if I tag you, you're "it"). The game they were playing was running in circles around a pole and when they saw each other, they would giggle. Looked like fun to me.

Now, as we are grownups, everything is complicated. Even games are complicated (we don't play run around the pole anymore, we have to play "pilates punishment" or Texas hold-em). Life is complicated. Dating is probably the most complicated. Recently I've been trying to date more. Too bad I'm bad at this game. Everything you're supposed to do is contrary to your instinct.

If you're interested, you're not supposed to show too much interest. You have to wait before you call or email. You have to be non-chalant. If you're not interested, you can't just say so, you have to play a game of either never calling, or something else. What you do on your dates has symbolic meaning; it's not just spending time together. You can "try too hard" (ever imagine "trying too hard" in a sport or in school?).

Anyway, I'm trying to learn the game, but it's just one of the many games we must play as adults... and frankly, I get a little tired of games sometimes. Since I just started a new job, I'm playing that game too. Figuring out who you can talk to, who you can trust, who you can't, how things work, etc. And playing the schmoozing game, because you have to be sociable, or appear to be.

Oh, last thing. Looks among voters, at least, we are evenly split on the issue of big butt vs. no butt. Remember, your vote is your power!