Who do I still think I am??

This one's about language and idols.

30DBC PROMPT: "Do you know a second (or third, or fourth, etc...) language? Would you like to learn a new language? Why or why not? If yes, which would you like to learn?"

Sup y'all? Before I dive headfirst into the shallow end of today's prompts, I'd like to bring you a message from our new sponsor.

I speak English. I write in English. I took Spanish for five years in school, but I barely remember any of it besides random curse words and phrases, and how to buy a beer. Although my teacher the majority of those years could be a little on the strict side, I have to think she enjoyed having me in her class more often than not...even when she failed me on a practice essay version of a final exam when I incorporated dialogue with a character swearing at another speaking English. Yeah, that sly little maneuver didn't go over too well.

But that was a long time ago, and I probably ordered my last cerveza on foreign land many years ago during a cruise to the Bahamas. If I recall correctly, there were Coronas immediately after breakfast...or were they for breakfast? I don't remember. Should I?

At this point in life, I don't have any desire to learn another language. I'm still getting used to bastardizing the one I currently speak. On top of that, I believe I am capable of teaching Sarcasm as a second language, or SSL in your local school's Continuing Education course catalog. However, the pay's terrible and the students leave little to be desired, so it's not really worth my time, but the arrogance attained is a lovely perk I could retire comfortably on.

I hate to sound all patriotic and whatnot, but I live in America and I shouldn't have to press "1" to hear a telephone menu in English. I get it that America's this giant melting pot of culture, and I personally accept all kinds of people, but there's gotta be a basis somewhere...a starting point, or maybe a calibration point, where it's just accepted that you have a basic command of the language if you're gonna do any kind of business in these parts. If I were to go to another country, I'd have to learn the gist of their prevailing language if I wanted to do any of the things taken for granted domestically, wouldn't I? You can't go through life pretending everything everywhere is a Chinese restaurant, getting by just by pointing at pictures and circling numbers. So that's my mini-rant on language. When in Rome, do it like the Romans do...and in the US, do it like all us fat, lazy, unmotivated 'Mericans do.

BCF PROMPT: "Who did you idolize growing up?"

Have you ever heard someone preface a story they're about to tell with the classic listener's opt-out phrase, "Stop me if you've heard this before..."? Well, I'm tellin' ya now...I've heard this prompt before. Sure, maybe it hasn't been put as bluntly, but in some manifestation it's been cast upon us me in the past. Maybe that means I've been doing this prompt-based stuff for too long, and I really have seen it all. Cue the hundred monkeys typing in a room, hoping for Shakespeare...I'm sure one of them has already typed the rest of this entry for me once or eight times before.

I think it's kinda lame to have idols from a world that is largely unattainable. It's ok to like and admire, but idolatry is a much stronger concept. Does it really make sense to want to be like someone else so strongly that it dominates your own persona? All you're really doing is compromising yourself and setting yourself up for failure and disappointment when you realize you can't throw a perfect spiral or carry a tune in a lunch pail. It's more important to realize your potential within than to pander to external impossibilities.

There's something I've been told several times about myself. I have a tendency to sell myself short. Why is that statement so pertinent? Because it shows I've got a lot of work to do as a person, and to the one guy that means the most to me...me. If I can't impress myself, then who else am I gonna impress, and more importantly, who's gonna be impressed with me? I don't mean that to sound pretentious in any kind of way, but I guess it is, in a way.

Life itself is a shaky balance...you're always told to look out for yourself, but you're also encouraged to do unto others. You're told to take care of yourself, but then you're chided for being selfish. One man's ceiling is another man's floor. It's so high you can't get over it, and so low you can't get under it. No matter what you do, you're never gonna make everyone happy, so you may as well start with yourself. Easy for me to say, I guess.

I'd love to apologize for going on with a seemingly pointless tangent, but I'm not gonna do that. I'm not in the idol-bashing business, and I'm trying to cut back on the amount of times I wind up proverbially pissing on my feet. The point is this...idols are eventually going to let you down or disappoint you somehow. You're stronger in the long run by being the person you were meant to be, rather than hoping you're somebody else. And you're an even better person than me if you've got that all figured out.

MUSICAL BREAK!!

I know I've probably shared this video before, but it kinda makes sense in an awkward way today.

THE DAILY BOX SCORE:

Normally I'm skeptical about downloading free music...but I was pleasantly surprised I was able to take advantage of this and have it seamlessly integrate with my iTunes library.

3: The number of servings in one 3oz. bag of Jack Link's BBQ Pork Jerky. It's ridiculously delicious and I ate the whole damn thing while composing this entry.

And if you really had the stones to ask...

Well folks, I wish I had more important things to share with you today, but I'm fresh out. Come back tomorrow, when I attempt to make things seem even more interesting than they already are. Peace, you do it to yourself, and GOODNIGHT NOW!!