Author: Rob's Surf Report

Rob lives near the geographical center of the North American continent with his wife, daughters, and one very needy cat. Most days he's a member of the law enforcement community, and tries to keep himself sane by making himself both stronger and more creative. His big plan is to find a way back to the coast and to stay there for good so he can surf the livelong day.

Am I really comfortable in front of people?

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Teacher BHodge
“Excuse me while I run far, far away. . . perhaps I’ll lose my lunch, then drop out of the education program while I’m at it.” (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I’ve done this before, I told myself. It’s not a problem. And yet when I stood in front of a class of teenagers with a very competent lesson plan in my hand, my stomach tied itself up in knots and my heart quailed. Later on, I chalked it up to performance anxiety.

The thing is, I’m not really afraid of anything; and I have done this before. I acted for two and a half years in high school theater. I hosted an open mic night for two years at a café in my hometown. I got up there every week and played the same songs over and over again; I’m fairly certain some of those people wanted to kill me, but that did not stop me.

Back to the high school theater though: really, I think I would make a great actor, but that’s not what I feel like I want to do with my life. So I’m not chasing it. But I’ll get on the stage fearlessly, and I have done so several times in my life. So what happened to that confidence when I tried to teach a lesson plan in my practicum? I can’t tell you; maybe I just changed. Or maybe it was the unfamiliar context.

Skyline High Farnsworth Theater (Inside)
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Years later, when we had a theater reunion at my high school, my old friend Bryan said that he wouldn’t go because he spent most of high school in the theater and never landed a big part. He was actually bitter about that, and for a moment I felt his bitterness too; but then it passed as I realized how selfish and petty it must be to feel that way. I was happy in the theater. And really, aren’t all of the parts important?

I mean, they take the time and effort to cast them all, and certainly they wouldn’t waste time on casting unnecessary parts. Not to mention that no matter what your role, you still get the full-on theater experience – all the practices and rehearsals, the make up and set construction, the cast party and the camaraderie. So really, both in life and in the theater, it’s not about the prominence of the roles we play, but how seamlessly we fit into the big picture, capisce?

on the Teisenkopf mountain, Black Forest
on the Teisenkopf mountain, Black Forest (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

That’s why I recently passed up the opportunity to apply for the lead position in my department at work – instead of focusing on the glory of being “the boss” – if you can call it that – I decided that it just isn’t for me at this time. I like playing the bit part in my department, which really isn’t a bit part per se. Plus, I recognized that the lead role in the department comes with increased stress, extra hours, and just a whole bunch of crap that I didn’t want to deal with. Besides, I do a great job at what I do, and I don’t think the company would benefit from losing me in that position. No matter how many people ask me to apply, I’m not going to do it.

My point is, if someone isn’t comfortable in a certain milieu – including in front of others – then perhaps they’re not playing their proper role. Or maybe they need to adjust to the new role! Heaven knows whenever I start a new job it’s like venturing into the wilds of the Bavarian Black Forest in a Grimm fairy tale, and all those unknown co-workers are potentially dangerous wolves and bears. Now that’s a little nervy.

English: Pleiades Star Cluster
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

But regardless of where we find ourselves, the fact is that each of us is a powerfully burning star, regardless of where we sit in the night sky or how faint the light appears to those who see it. Make sure you enjoy it while it lasts, because every star eventually burns out!

And don’t let that stop you from having a good time!

Namaste.

🏄

This post was prompted by today’s Daily Post prompt.

 

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Weekly Photo Challenge: Inside, #2: A flubbed double

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So the wife and I are headed out to Papa’s Pumpkin Patch, and stopped for coffee on the way out. I thought I’d show the inside of a Starbucks from the inside of a car, and so I was hoping that they’d leave the window open so I wasn’t taking a candid photo of se barista and then posting it without their knowledge. Of course the only time the window was open was when she was in it, but how could I not snap the pic just in case? Luckily it worked out – the wife reached up for her drink and inadvertently blocked the barista’s face just in time so it’s game on!

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This post was prompted by the Daily Post Weekly Photo Challenge.

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