Dork

I'm a dork. Long ago I made peace with this. I'm more than okay with it, I EMBRACE it.

Yes, I'm the person who gets super excited about seeing ladybugs or baby bunnies. I can go on and on and on about my favorite book or song or movie or graphic novel or person. I get so enthusiastic about learning new things that I automatically assume everyone else MUST be just as excited about X as I am, or want to know the entire history of Y, just like I do.

I'll never be the "cool chick" at the party. Instead, I'm the goofy one who's laughing hysterically with her friends about a lame "that's what SHE said" joke.

All that being said, I still feel hurt when I think somebody is laughing at me. Normally I can shrug it off with a "whatever", since I tell myself they just don't get my awesomeness. But when three or four people burst out laughing after I leave the room, but just before the door closes, I do stop to think, "Okay, what was it I said or did that tipped the balance for them, that made them laugh AT me, not with me?"

Luckily, this doesn't happen often anymore. And even more luckily, I'm old enough now that if it does bother me, it's only briefly.

Because I AM awesome. And there are plenty of equally awesome people out there that see that, and get me. Those other people's opinions about me just don't matter.