| | - The Future Freaks Me Out How to make yourself feel smart: Go find an athlete, which includes the drama club jocks, who you don't know and learn the name that's on their team jacket. Then, go up to them on a day when they're not wearing said jacket, and say "hi, so-and-so" and watch them get so confused. I had much fun doing that at lunch today with a freshie.
On Saturday I went swing dancing with "the groupies" at Glen Echo Park again. This is my fourth or fifth time, I think . . . I went once in December, then a few times in the summer after 10th grade. I tell you that I cannot dance worth shit, but when I go there, it's like it's 1938 again, and I can cut a rug like nobody's business. I was really looking forward to just going and having a good time. But this week it was more important that I go, because now I was sort of proving myself and my independence from the Musical Establishment at Blake High School. On Friday I went over to talk to Shannon before school, as I've been trying to all week. And her friends, who happen to be my friends as well, showed up. Austin noticed the Something Corporate pin on my bag (see December 19, 2004 for reference) and he's like "take that pin off! I heard their one song, 'If U C Jordan,' and it sucked!"
Of course, I've gotten that before. But knowing that Shannon has these amazing independent-label-off-the-beaten-path-music-you've-never-heard-before-except-for-the-"Garden State"-soundtrack tastes in music, it's a little annoying being "revealed" as another "whiny emo kid." (But I'm far too cool to settle for that term.) Here's what happened next - I think I was asked whether I studied for the Psych test, and I said "No, I was too busy listening to horrible music." Shannon: "Don't take it personally! Defend yourself!" (But wasn't I?) Me: "I haven't really been picked on since elementary school. Ah, this takes me back." A friend: "Man, you listen to Dashboard Confessional." Shannon: "Yes, he does." Me: (sarcastically) "I'm at a very difficult time in my life now!" (the guys smirk) "I've just got so much angst and I need to get it out . . . sometimes, I just need a good cry!" A friend: "Don't tell me you listen to New Found Glory." I refused to say whether I did or not. Shannon: (reassuringly) "I'm sure you listen to some good music." Me: (sighs because she's just so understanding even though she thinks my taste in music is lame) "Yeah, I like Ben Folds . . ."
And you'll probably say "Daniel, that wasn't a big deal, you shouldn't let it get to you." Couldn't help it. So I went swing dancing on Saturday, and I felt vindicated because I was doing something different than everyone else, something that could impress a girl if she saw you could sweep her off her feet and do the Charleston together into the night. As a matter of fact, I did: I met this really nice, really good-looking girl from Takoma Academy named Lucky. It turned out she was a friend of a friend, and we got to talking. I was surprised at how "smooth" I was, even if I couldn't get all the steps right. So: fingers crossed for Valentine's Day, in the hopes that I'll be with somebody, someone special, someone who appreciates me for all that I am. (And in the event that she can't, I downloaded some songs by The Shins over the weekend). I mean, I struck out once with Joi . . . can't happen again, right? Right!? |
