Wednesday, January 21, 2009

bench warmers

Hello?

Is anybody in here? 

Man...I feel like I'm in a Sabrina the Teenage Witch episode and I've just crawled into my computer..
 
Cobwebs are everywhere...

It feels good to be back though. While I haven't done my spring cleaning yet, this place needs a little livening up so I have a thought...

I think its good to feel "out of your league." 

There is some imaginary league out there. I'm sure you've heard of it. It's favorite sayings are, "you're not what we're looking for..." "sorry, but you don't have what it takes" "who told you you could do this?" or simply "please leave." 

BUT what is this league anyway? Who made it? It totally exists but why? Who the heck is in charge? I want answers. 

Let me share an example.

I have a friend who is extremely intelligent. She just exudes confidence and makes all those that encounter her feel the same. Along with being intelligent, I would classify her as an optimist. Always making an awkward situation funny, or finding an excuse at any time in the day to dance, she seeks the best in most situations. She wants to be a high school biology teacher and is taking a very challenging chemistry class this semester. Today was her first day in the class, and over an extremely large tub of cookie dough, she told me how she felt completely out of her league.
 
Here's why. 

The professor of the class, lacking the creativity to think of an interesting ice breaker, asked the students to go around and say their major. She told me that while the other wannabe Darwins and Newtons talked of their pre-medical aspirations and engineering dreams, she with the only education major, felt like a complete "juvenile" and out of her league. 

I'm experiencing an oxymoron of feelings right now. I'm upset that she feels this way but excited. 

Here's some others that I'm sure have felt out of their league. 

Einstein: 
* had immense speech problems when he was younger
* clashed with most of his professors and resented the school regimen 
* forged a doctors note (for good reason) but still...
* after graduating college he had trouble finding a job, and it took him two years to finally 
   do so. 
* divorced 
 
Stephen Hawking: 
* attended St. Albans High School for girls 
* was noted to have extremely poor study habits 
* divorced 
* has Lou Gehrig's disease

King David: 
* Saul wanted to kill him 
* hooks up with Bathsheba...another man's wife
* had a war vs. his son who died as a result

Abraham Lincoln: 
* known by prominent people from the east as the "baboon" due to his height and large ears
* had only two years of formal schooling 
* his wife bankrupted him 
* had severe depression 

Here's the C team lady's and gentlemen...

Screw being "in the league." 


brighter in here already...







4 comments:

k said...

i love you.

can i be on the C team??

sincerely,
fanch

annie.marie.dimond. said...

Hey sign me up for this C team. I think that we could have a pretty good chance, right?

or is it even about that? eh. eh?

annie.marie.dimond. said...

also, i find it entertaining, ironic, and downright snazzy that your blog name is thoroughly applicable to your post.

cookie dough, anyone?

Katie Stipanovich said...

I love you...and you are SO right on. welcome to my entire SMU experience. BUT it was essential to who I am now AND through all of that...here i am!

It seems that being out of your league is so essential to personal and spiritual growth!